《Signing Into Immortal Martial World》


 Chapter 1

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The Great Zhou Kingdom¡­


    Tianjing,


    Within the imperial city.


    Located at the remote southeastern corner was a huge cold palace1 named Eternal Happiness.


    That area was filled with abandoned palace complexes. Pavilions and terraces were scattered all over the place. However, it seemed lifeless and deserted.


    A handsome young man sat on a bed with the scroll titled Sights and Sounds of Divine Continent, reading it intently.


    The three legged copper stove beside his leg was lit with flaming charcoal, emitting waves of heat.


    However, compared to the spacious chamber, that little bit of warmth was considered nothing. It was no match for the ferret fur coat on his body in terms of keeping him warm.


    ¡°Twelve years went by just like that.¡±


    15 minutes later, Zhao Mu put down the scroll in his hand and looked at the snow beyond the windows.


    There was a hint of sorrow in his expression.


    That body had already been imprisoned deep in the palace for 15 years.


    As for Zhao Mu, he had arrived at this place for 12 years.


    Back when he was three years old, he had fallen critically ill.


    The chilling winds took away the Tenth Prince and welcomed a soul from a foreign world instead.


    When Zhao Mu woke up and opened his eyes, he realized that he had inherited the emperor¡¯s bloodline, a descendant of the imperial family.


    Logically speaking, it was something worthy of celebration.


    Born with a silver spoon, he no longer needed to worry about his livelihood.


    However, misfortune in life outnumbered fortunate encounters. How could things go that smoothly?


    During the Tenth Prince¡¯s birth, the imperial astronomer made a prediction of his fortune.


    ¡°Nine out of ten will be met with tragedy! The flood dragon swallows the python, bringing misfortune to the father and brothers!¡±


    The imperial astronomer was in charge of ceremonial offerings, observing celestial phenomena, promulgation of calendar, and so on.


    Astronomer Yuan Li had vast knowledge. He was favored by the emperor and well respected by the officials.


    It goes without saying that a fortune told by such a talented person would carry a lot of weight.


    Furthermore, since the Tenth Prince¡¯s birth, a few other princes had consecutively lost their lives.


    The Third Prince was kicked by a wild horse due to his failure to subdue the beast. He ended up dying after coughing up blood.


    The Sixth Prince practiced martial arts and ingested elixirs that resulted in a reversed circulation of his Qi blood, along with his meridiens being broken. Even the imperial could not do anything to help him.


    Even the Crown Prince fell terribly ill during that time for no apparent reason.


    Rumor had it that his body was invaded by evil Qi and caused him to fall into a comatose state for 10 days.


    The string mysterious events left no room for the Emperor of Zhou to doubt.


    Finally, under the suggestion from Astronomer Yuan Li, the baby was deemed as the Tenth Prince, the one cursed by fate and destined to be alone.


    He was sent into the cold palace as an infant.


    Even when his mother passed away, he did not have the chance to see her.


    As for the exalted Emperor of Zhou that Zhao Mu had to call ¡®father¡¯, he had never spoken to him at all.


    ¡°Ah, the imperial family.¡±


    Zhao Mu lamented in silence.


    He lay on the bed and shut his eyes.


    In his mind, there was an old and worn out mysterious stone dial.


    It looked as though it had endured the passage of time, exuding an aura that felt as though thousands of years were but a moment.


    On the stone dial were 12 blur markings.


    It seemed to represent the eternal laws and order between heaven and earth.


    During his time being imprisoned in the cold palace, Zhao Mu noticed that with each passing year, one of the markings would light up.


    Each marking was a single year!


    It was the 15th year where one had to knot their hair.


    Coincidentally, it was his 12th year since arriving in this world.


    Therefore, it was not difficult for him to make that deduction.


    The mysterious stone dial came from Zhao Mu himself instead of the Tenth Prince.


    ¡°If I could activate it earlier and imprint my Dao mark to acquire its foreign power, I might have long become the Sword God of Ten Miles Slope1 and graduate from this zone at max level.¡±


    After waiting patiently for 12 years, Zhao Mu was finally able to witness the change in that stone dial.


    Imprint Dao mark, acquire foreign objects.


    Two days ago, that mysterious stone dial had been glowing miraculously.


    Since then, it no longer maintained the slow rate of one mark per year.


    Instead, it moved by one mark for each passing day!


    Zhao Mu could not forget about the incident either. At that time, he was just walking past Eternal Happiness Palace¡¯s East wing, slacking off at the abandoned and dilapidated elixir refining chamber.


    The stone dial vibrated slightly and a line of clear text came out of it.


    ¡®You¡¯ve arrived at the elixir chamber. Acquired Blood Bodhi!¡¯


    ¡®Would you like to imprint?¡¯


    Something stirred in his mind.


    Once Zhao Mu nodded, a strange blood-red fruit appeared out of nowhere within the invisible subspace that was created by the mysterious stone dial.


    Blood Bodhi came from the manhwa titled Storm Riders!1


    According to legends, it was a treasured miracle fruit found within Lingyun Cave, beneath the Leshan Grand Buddha.


    It came from the blood droplets of a Flame Qilin and had the properties to cure all wounds and increase one¡¯s powers.


    Zhao Mu was in shock.


    After a long time, he finally snapped back to his senses.


    With 12 long years being bored within the cold palace to polish his temperament, it helped him not to lose his composure. He quickly reorganized his thoughts.


    The mysterious stone dial advanced by one mark each year before that. Only after finishing the 12 marks did it give out some sort of a sign. Zhao Mu speculated that it might have been a process to charge its power.


    At that moment, the ¡®powered up¡¯ stone dial moved one mark a day and slowly began to reveal its true miraculous properties.


    As of then, he had no idea about the origin of the stone dial.


    Its actual use was shown through imprinting his dao mark and acquiring foreign objects.


    The so-called ¡®imprinting¡¯ was to have him arrive at a particular location, similar to signing in.


    Meanwhile, the ¡®Acquire¡¯ function was to exchange the imprint into foreign objects.


    Just by passing by the elixir refining chamber on the previous day, Zhao Mu had acquired a Blood Bodhi that could increase his power.


    That was because the location used to produce all sorts of elixirs and left ¡®marks¡¯ behind.


    If so, what would it bring him this time?


    Zhao Mu went through an emotional roller-coaster ride, then returned to his calm state.


    There was no doubt that the Emperor of Zhou forbade the Tenth Prince from learning martial arts because he was cursed and would bring about calamity that would bring harm to the Zhou imperial family, as foretold by the imperial astronomer.


    Meanwhile, a Blood Bodhi that could increase his power and physical strength coincidentally met Zhao Mu¡¯s needs!


    He had already missed the optimal age to temper his physique by practicing martial arts.


    Unless there was someone of great power to purify Zhao Mu¡¯s bones without stopping for an entire month, it would be impossible for him to achieve anything.


    That Blood Bodhi that could increase his power was just like someone sending him a pillow right when he felt sleepy.


    ¡®If this is as I speculated, the stone dial wouldn¡¯t be limited to acquiring miracle elixirs and fruits.¡¯


    The young and handsome Tenth Prince opened his brightly glowing eyes.


    Although he had never set foot outside of Eternal Happiness Palace to see the outside world, the abandoned and desolate palace complex was fully equipped.


    Within it were the study, practice chamber, armory, meditation room, elixir refining chamber, library¡­and other locations.


    Being stuck alone deep within the imperial city¡¯s inner district, devoid of freedom, Zhao Mu could only read books.


    By reading chorography records, local rumors, and travel records, he created a vague image of this world within his mind.


    Four Kingdoms of the Divine Continent!


    Ten great sects!


    Six sacred grounds!


    The foreign archipelago!


    Apart from those great powers that reigned over their own territories, there were also martial grandmasters that could move mountains and breathe lightning.


    The reason there were so many people with strange powers was because the Divine Continent was in a state of constant warfare.


    During times of war, it was natural for martial arts to thrive.


    Through thousands of years, the various martial arts evolved, with each generation stronger than the previous one. That resulted in a comprehensive path for cultivation.


    The 10 Mortal Stages were the peak that all martial artists needed to overcome.


    The initial five stages were Form Shaping, Body Tempering, Unblocking Aperture, Circulation, and Foundation Establishment.


    If one compared martial arts with building, those five steps were to build a strong foundation, to stabilize one¡¯s Qi blood.


    By training the physical body, it would nurture the internal organs and allow for one to challenge the limits of the human body!


    If one could condense blood essence and manifest the root bone, one would have the chance to convert internal energy to true Qi!


    Reaching that stage would make one a big shot in the world of martial arts, gaining the title of an expert.


    The latter five stages were Qi Refinement, Dragon Image, Spiritual Transformation, Innate, and Human Immortal.


    One step at a time, and each step was a completely different world.


    It was especially so during the Spiritual Transformation Stage, where one¡¯s mental energy was purified and the will of martial arts was forged.


    One would be impervious to all spells and easily crush armies, a great expert that could secure the fortune of an entire sect single handedly.


    ¡®This is just like how a tiger would be bullied by dogs in foreign lands¡­¡¯


    Upon thinking of the countless wonders of that world, then his own situation of being stuck in the cold palace, Zhao Mu suddenly recalled a saying from his previous world.


    The Tenth Prince had a bad life!


    That was the conclusion that the busybodies in the imperial city came to.


    Some of them felt pity, some sympathetic, and some even gloating over his misfortune.


    Zhao Mu was well behaved and consigned himself to the cold palace for 12 years.


    From the onlookers¡¯ perspective, that was an act of him resigning himself to fate.


    What else could he do other than accept his fate?


    How vast was the world?


    How many beautiful sceneries were there?


    If given the choice, who would willingly be imprisoned deep within the imperial city and be denied freedom for life!?


    However, Zhao Mu had no choice!


    The Emperor of Zhou, the imperial astronomer, and the existence of his fortune telling of ¡®Nine out of ten will be met with tragedy! The flood dragon swallows the python, bringing misfortune to the father and brothers,¡¯ stood in his way.


    Zhao Mu lacked the support of his mother, supporting words from the officials in power, and the talents and qualifications to practice martial arts.


    It felt as though he was under the pressure of three huge mountains, destined to be doomed forever!


    Those hatred, complaints, suffering, and despair¡­they could only be pushed down into the deepest corners of his heart, finally transforming his mental state into one like the calm surface of a lake.


    ¡°Now that I have the help of the mysterious stone dial, the cold palace and the imperial city might not be able to hold me back anymore!¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s eyes glowed brightly, with the glow seemingly outshining the light from the flickering candle flame.


    He no longer pondered on the origin of the stone dial. He would not understand nor think it through. It would only trouble him further.


    ¡°Within the great Zhou Kingdom, strength equals power!¡±


    Zhao Mu clenched his fist tightly, then thought to himself.


    As a young master of the Eight Mortal Stage of Spiritual Transformation in the world, one would be able to travel freely across the entire continent, disregarding its law.


    At the Ninth Mortal Stage of Innate Grandmaster, one could be smug before nobles, laugh at them, and refuse to kneel before the emperor.


    Of those great sects and scared grounds, which one of them did not have over thousands of disciples, and several tens of thousand servants?


    In the world of martial arts, the leaders of the great sects were treated as equals to the senior provincial officials.


    Each of them would be a prominent figure over a region, which formed the situation of state within a state.


    The local commoner would only know of the sects and rich families, often not knowing the existence of the emperor!


    When it came to the power they hold, it would even outrank the emperor!


    ¡°I¡¯m a prince, born into power and authority. If I practiced martial arts and became the strongest martial artist in the world¡­I¡¯ll have both strength and authority!¡±


    Zhao Mu contemplated for a moment, then suppressed the crazy thoughts in his mind.


    His temperament was not sufficiently refined after all. After experiencing such an emotional roller coaster, he had let the rush go to his head.


    Zhao Mu sauntered to the doors of Longevity Hall. It was already late in the night.


    The snow outside was heavy. The cold air buffeted against his face and managed to calm him down.


    ¡®Let¡¯s see what items I can acquire from my imprint today,¡¯ Zhao Mu thought internally.


    He tightened the ferret fur coat on him. Just as he was about to go back in, he heard some noise coming from beyond the walls of the cold palace.

 Chapter 2

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    In the howling of the heavy snow, its chilling wind was like piercing daggers.


    Everything within the imperial city was covered in a sheet of white.


    The eunuch at the lead held a lantern before him as he held out an umbrella to shield a skinny noble from the snow.


    Behind him were several maids carrying food containers, silently walking by the tall walls of the royal quarters.


    ¡°Hmph. Wait here!¡±


    Raising his head to look at the dust covered plaque of Eternal Happiness Palace, the noble in the white fox fur coat frowned slightly, seemingly unhappy.


    His voice was cold like the wind that seeped into one¡¯s bone and bit into skin, sending chills down their spines.


    ¡°Your Highness, this¡­The Queen instructed to never¡ª¡±


    The eunuch said hesitantly while bending over respectfully.


    Smack!


    The noble with a cold expression slapped him with the back of his hand.


    The strength of that slap caused the eunuch¡¯s face to quickly swell up.


    ¡°Useless servant! Her Majesty¡¯s words are of course inerrant. However, what reasons do you have to interrupt my speech? Could it be that you¡¯re disrespecting the prestige of the imperial family, or perhaps you¡¯re thinking that I¡¯m easily fooled due to my age?¡±


    Upon hearing the serious questioning, the eunuch who held the lantern quickly covered his face. His legs buckled and immediately knelt to the ground in the snow.


    He kowtowed repeatedly while mumbling, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±


    ¡°You useless trash that only knows how to throw your weight around. Having people like you in the harem would only soil the good name of the Queen!¡±


    The noble¡¯s face grew bright with anger, then reached for the lantern and food containers the maid held. He barked, ¡°Continue kneeling and stay down!¡±


    After that, he strode into the dilapidated palace complex named ¡®Eternal Happiness Palace¡¯.


    Snow was fluttering everywhere. In a short time, his shoulders were completely covered by a layer of snow.


    However, that young noble in his teens thought nothing of it.


    He paused at the doors of Longevity Hall. On his angry face, he squeezed out a hint of a sincere smile before entering.


    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m here.¡±


    The noble seemed to be familiar with the layout of the building. He went to the side hall¡¯s bed chamber on his own and saw the handsome young man lying on the bed, reading a book.


    ¡°Why did you hit him and punish him to kneel? If you treat the servants of the Zhengyang Palace so terribly, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll get in trouble when Her Majesty gets wind of this.¡±


    Zhao Mu put down the book in his hand and lectured.


    The noble wearing the snow-white fox fur coat looked rather similar to Zhao Mu.


    The only difference was that Zhao Mu appeared to be more calm and collected.


    That elegant face had star-like eyes and sharp brows like that of swords, giving off a strong air of nobility.


    Meanwhile, the young noble had a touch of femininity in his appearance, giving him an air of gentleness.


    ¡°So what if the Queen hears about it? What¡¯s wrong with me teaching servants from her palace who don¡¯t behave a lesson?¡±


    The noble huffed in annoyance, but his voice was a lot softer.


    ¡°Why did you come today? The harem should be having a snow watching banquet. Why are you here instead of attending that event?¡±


    Zhao Mu shook his head. After not seeing him for half a year, his little brother still behaved the same way.


    ¡°There¡¯s a snow watching banquet every year. It¡¯s just to celebrate with those in the harem, partake in wine and appreciate the scenery. It¡¯s nothing interesting.¡±


    The Eleventh Prince, Zhao Yuan, chuckled, then changed his downcast expression to one of obedience as he said, ¡°I still prefer to be with you when I¡¯m free. Just some small talks and jokes are fine.¡±


    Zhao Yuan sat on the edge of the bed and opened up the steaming food containers.


    He took out a few plates of desserts, a mix of vegetable and meat dishes, two bottles of wine, and a pot of duck soup.


    ¡°How thoughtful of you to bring food and wine along.¡±


    Zhao Mu was quite touched and his gaze turned gentle.


    Zhao Yuan was his biological brother from the same parents.


    Ever since his biological mother, Consort Ning, passed away, they have been relying on each other.


    ¡°Within the palace, most of them are just vile people that would leech onto the powerful. I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t put in the effort to serve you properly.¡±


    A cold glint flashed in Zhao Yuan¡¯s eyes as he huffed angrily, ¡°Although they don¡¯t skimp on your daily necessities, you¡¯re not treated like the Crown Prince, Seventh Brother, and Eight Brother where they are only given the best luxuries.¡±


    ¡°The Longevity Hall is cold to begin with. Furthermore, the coal you¡¯re burning here is not the smokeless animal charcoal, but regular charcoal instead.


    ¡°There¡¯s not even a heating tunnel1 built-in. It¡¯s so damn cold in here.


    ¡°Also, the ferret fur coat on you is such a mismatch of colors. In this Winter season, you don¡¯t even have a eunuch by your side to run errands for you, nor maids to serve you¡­¡±


    The more Zhao Yuan ranted, the worse he felt.


    For a regular family, his treatment would be considered luxurious.


    However, as a highly respectable prince of the Zhou Kingdom, such treatment could only be considered shabby!


    Bang!


    Getting angrier as he thought about it, Zhao Yuan slapped hard on the desk, causing the wine bottle and cups to shake.


    ¡°How long has it been? Why did your temper grow so much?¡±


    Zhao Mu chuckled, then gently poked his little brother¡¯s forehead with two fingers.


    ¡°Enjoying luxurious food for my daily meals, a balanced diet, dressed in silk and satin, staying in such a big palace hall, and having my needs fulfilled by ordering servants around.


    ¡°Beyond the imperial city, how many people could only wish to have such a lifestyle. What else should I be dissatisfied with¡­¡±


    Zhao Yuan pouted. Hearing his brother¡¯s self deprecating talk, his eyes teared up as he countered, ¡°But you¡¯re born in the imperial family! You¡¯re a descendent of the emperor!


    ¡°You should be developing the nation, anointing nobles, and ruling your own territory! You should put on the royal attire adorned with nine beads1. You should be second only to one¡­


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re not fighting for the throne with the Crown Prince, or any of the other princes, you can be a carefree prince!


    ¡°But look at you now¡­ Ever since your birth, you¡¯ve never set foot beyond the Eternal Happiness Palace! Do you know what the world out there looks like?


    ¡°Father has imprisoned you here for 15 years. It¡¯s already been 15 years!


    ¡°All because of the imperial astronomer¡¯s fortune of ¡®Nine out of ten will be met with tragedy!¡¯


    ¡°That old man is just spewing nonsense, claiming that you show the signs of a flood dragon swallowing the python and would be destined to bring misfortune to father and brothers, cursed by fate!


    ¡°He claimed that if you¡¯re not watched carefully, you¡¯ll surely cause a calamity!¡±


    Zhao Yuan suppressed his voice that was whimpering as watched his brother who was imprisoned in the side hall of the cold palace.


    He harbored hatred in his heart. It was like a sludge that could not be thinned out that filled his heart.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been locked up for fifteen years because of a fortune telling! I¡¯m afraid it¡¯d be the same for the next ten or twenty years!


    ¡°Earlier, the Crown Prince even suggested for Father to send you to Tong Province to fulfill your filial duty by guarding the imperial tomb¡­¡±


    Zhao Mu, the Eleventh Prince, gripped tightly on the corner of the table as the veins on his forehead pulsated.


    On his effeminate and handsome little face were signs of indignance and also a hint of suppressed viciousness.


    Being born in the imperial family should have been a great fortune.


    It was the same as being born with a silver spoon in one¡¯s mouth where everything was provided for.


    If one was not interested in the fight for power, then it would be no problem to enjoy a peaceful life.


    However, in Zhao Mu¡¯s case, what difference was his treatment from someone in jail?


    Growing up for 15 years, yet having never once seen his parents. Even their mother never tried to ask for mercy in his stead.


    Apart from the eunuchs and maids of Eternal Happiness Palace, he had never met any other people.


    Just the thought of his brother having to endure this kind of life day after day, year after year, Zhao Yuan felt his hatred and anger grow.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Once you stepped out of Longevity Hall, it¡¯ll be as though I never heard anything you said.¡±


    Zhao Mu poured two cups of wine, then took a sip from his own.


    It was smooth and had a lingering taste.


    That was a top grade wine!


    ¡°I planned to only share these words with you anyway.¡±


    Zhao Yuan quietened down and regained his composure. His naive little face had a lonely expression.


    ¡°I heard that His Majesty has allowed you to start learning martial arts.¡±


    Zhao Mu intentionally changed the topic.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve found an instructor from the royal guards. I just started learning the Rumbling Thunder Force for Form Shaping and Body Tempering,¡± Zhao Yuan replied honestly.


    He opened his mouth, at first trying to say ¡®If you want to learn, I can teach you in secret.¡¯


    However, he immediately remembered that his father had placed an order to forbid anyone from teaching Zhao Mu martial arts. With that, he held his tongue.


    The great Kingdom of Zhou was built on a foundation of martial arts, therefore the entire kingdom held great interest in martial arts.


    Although the founding emperor had long established the ideals of an education and culture based government, the Zhou Kingdom was still in a system where the people had to rise up through martial arts.


    Even literatis had to learn breathing techniques to improve Qi circulation.


    The so-called educated men who only knew how to recite poems and had no physical strength were looked down upon.


    Forbidden from practicing martial arts!


    That act was meant to strip Zhao Mu of his future, turning him into a cripple within the cold palace for life.


    ¡°The royal guard¡¯s Commander He said that I have the root bone and have a bright future ahead.¡±


    Zhao Yuan was not in the mood to eat and drink. He supported his cheek with one hand, then stared at his brother calmly and said in a firm tone, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll definitely work hard on practicing martial arts! I¡¯ll be an Innate Grandmaster and make Father change his mind to let you out of the cold palace, granting you freedom.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll be waiting for that day.¡±


    Zhao Mu smiled gently, then patted his little brother¡¯s head.


    However, he knew in his heart that it would not be that easy for him to get out of the cold palace.


    That fortune of ¡°The flood dragon swallows the python, bringing misfortune to the father and brothers¡± had condemned his fate to be stuck in this place.


    By the time the Crown Prince or the other princes succeed the throne, he would probably be assigned to Tong Province to fulfill his filial duty of watching over the imperial tomb for the rest of his life.


    Or it could be worse.


    Putting his hopes in his brother Zhao Yuan to become an Innate Grandmaster to break the status quo was just wishful thinking.


    The Kingdom of Zhou had a vast territory, the biggest of the four kingdoms.


    How many within its borders managed the reversive transformation to the Innate Stage, achieving the status of grandmaster?


    Zhao Mu maintained a calm expression, but he was refuting himself internally.


    ¡°It¡¯s turning late. You should go back now or Father is going to be angry again.¡±


    After finishing the food, Zhao Mu moved the bottle of wine that was in front of Zhao Yuan toward himself and said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re still young and shouldn¡¯t be drinking so much wine. This bottle shall be mine.¡±


    Seeing his brother¡¯s childish behavior, Zhao Yuan¡¯s solemn mood turned bright, as if it was the sunshine piercing through a curtain of clouds.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring an even better wine next time!¡± The young Eleventh Prince declared firmly.


    The next time they met would be half a year later.


    However, neither brought up the topic. Both parties might have just forgotten about it.


    ¡°It better be the Tipsy Immortal that¡¯s aged for a century from the Cloud Abode. Rumor has it that drinking one cup will feel as though one had transcended and the feeling of intoxication will last for ten days.¡±


    Zhao Mu laughed, then watched his little brother pack up the food container and sent him off to the door.


    ¡°Brother, there¡¯s something I need to ask of you.¡±


    Zhao Yuan exited Longevity Hall and pointed through the door.


    ¡°I want that ferret fur coat that you¡¯re wearing.¡±


    Zhao Mu was caught off guard for a moment as he stood by the door.


    After that, a warm feeling filled his heart.


    ¡°Oh you little smarty pants!¡±


    Zhao Mu chuckled helplessly, then gently prodded his little brother¡¯s forehead.


    Zhao Yuan took off his expensive snow-white fox fur coat with a bright smile on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯ve taken your ferret fur coat, but I can¡¯t just leave you in the cold like that. I¡¯ll trade for it with my fox fur coat!¡±


    Having said that, he did not wait for Zhao Mu¡¯s agreement and grabbed that ferret fur coat of mismatched colors. He then put it on and ran off quickly while holding onto the food container.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the elegant behavior a prince should have?¡± Zhao Mu said in a low voice as he held onto the white fox fur coat that had some lingering warmth.


    He stood quietly by the door as the chilling wind blew inward.


    The imprisoned Tenth Prince seemed to feel nothing of it as he stood there in a daze, looking at the lone figure disappearing into the snow.


    Soon after, his black robe was stained with water droplets, eventually drenching his clothes.


    The snow fell like goose feathers. It went on for a long time before the gates of Longevity Hall closed shut.

 Chapter 3

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡®You¡¯ve arrived in Longevity Hall. Acquired Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist!¡¯


    ¡®Would you like to imprint?¡¯


    With the warm fox fur coat on him, he sat on the bed alone.


    The candlelight fluttered, casting a lonesome dancing shadow that gave him an air of someone studying in the middle of a snowy night.


    Once the 24th hour passed, reaching midnight, another mark on the mysterious stone dial within his mind started glowing.


    During the fluctuations of his mental state, an aura of simplicity and maturity flowed quietly.


    ¡®Imprint!¡¯ The thought flashed through Zhao Mu¡¯s mind silently.


    A golden light streamed outward and filled his mind.


    Bits and pieces of martial arts experiences that appeared out of nowhere quickly melded into his body.


    ¡®Tiger Demon Bone Refinement? This is a fist technique that trains the strength of the body and bones!¡¯


    Zhao Mu¡¯s mind was in shock, but it did not show on his face.


    He rubbed his temples to ease the pain that came from taking in all those memories.


    ¡°With Blood Bodhi and the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist, the doors to martial arts that were previously closed to me is finally opening up.¡±


    Zhao Mu clenched his fists. When facing his little brother Zhao Yuan that showed him kindness, the eunuchs, and maids of Eternal Happiness Palace, he would always appear apathetic. It was as though material wealth, authority, and power were nothing to him.


    However, he knew his own thoughts.


    When he was alone, Zhao Mu could not help but feel bitter when he thought of his own situation.


    ¡°As the old saying goes, one should remain calm even when Mount Tai collapses. All major decisions require collected thoughts. That¡¯s the way to nurture one¡¯s mind, and also the way of cultivation.¡±


    Zhao Mu loved to read since young and had a great deal of knowledge. He lamented quietly, ¡°However, within the Kingdom of Zhou, no matter how calm and collected one was in face of changes or dangers, everything is but a pipedream without strength.¡±


    Material wealth, knowledge, authority, and strength¡­ Those were the things people sought after, the things one could rely on when fostering one¡¯s character.


    Having nothing but the confidence of one¡¯s firm heart would only make one a frog in the well. That would be merely blind arrogance.


    ¡°Ten thousand years ago, a great teacher travelled throughout the kingdoms.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s thoughts were sporadic as his mind wandered.


    ¡°He could reason with others. Apart from his exquisite knowledge that would inspire others, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s also closely tied to his exceedingly high strength that was beyond the crazily powerful Human Immortal level.¡±


    Just like Saint Yan of the teacher¡¯s 72 disciples claimed, to learn is to help oneself understand reason while practicing martial arts is to reason with others.


    ¡°The Tiger Demon Bone Refinement technique has a total of 206 moves, nicely tempering the 206 bones in the human body.¡±


    Zhao Mu absorbed the essence of the martial arts that was imprinted onto him and thought silently to himself, ¡®Within this, every single move is used to improve the mobility and strength of the bone and joints along with the physical body. The final result would be for the entire body to reach steel-like bones.¡±


    He had read them in books.


    10 Mortal Stages.


    Its initial stages were Form Shaping and Body Tempering.


    Both were stages of training one¡¯s physique.


    Within the world of martial arts, there was a common saying of ¡°Ten years of Form Shaping and ten years of Body Tempering.¡±


    It meant that training and strengthening one¡¯s physique took a lot of time and continuous effort.


    It could not be rushed, nor hastened.


    A normal person might require the full 20 years before reaching completion.


    Meanwhile, the children of big families would use salves and elixirs as aid, then ginseng and velvet antlers as supplements.


    Paired with their own hard work, even with exceptional talent, it would at least take three to five years.


    ¡°I wonder where this Tiger Demon Bone Refinement technique originated from. It uses top grade fist techniques to temper the bones and muscles, then supplements it with breathing techniques to strengthen one¡¯s Qi essence. Such efficiency unheard of!¡±


    Although Zhao Mu had never practiced martial arts, he had read several fist techniques that were almost impossible to practice without unblocking his apertures. None of them mentioned such an in depth bone refinement method.


    Based on what he knew, most of the martial artists in the royal guards would hit wooden dummies, toss stone locks, roll boulders, carry weights, use weights around their ankles, and other methods along those lines to strengthen one¡¯s Qi and body.


    Compared to such top grade fist technique, they were inefficient and time wasting. It was truly incomparable.


    ¡°There¡¯s nobody around tonight and it¡¯s snowing heavily over imperial city. This is the perfect time to practice!¡±


    Zhao Mu made his decision and quickly got up.


    With the fox fur coat on him, he walked out of Longevity Hall and headed into the walkway.


    The clear moonlight reflected off the snow, making them look as though made of silver and casted bright reflections all around.


    Zhao Mu stood alone in the courtyard. His charming features gave off an air of an immortal, making it an unforgettable sight.


    ¡°The chill in the air is strong and seeping into my bones.¡±


    He had stayed in the cold palace for 12 long years. At first, the old eunuchs by the Emperor of Zhou¡¯s side would still come over to supervise in secret, wary of the imperial astronomer¡¯s fortune telling, afraid that he might cause some sort of calamity.


    Seven to eight years passed in peace without any mysterious happenings.


    The shady and out of breath old eunuch was eventually dismissed, leaving only several servants behind.


    Right then, they were in the Winter season on the 12th lunar month, experiencing heavy snow.


    Breath turned to fog, and dripping water froze.


    Those servants that would not even serve diligently normally had long returned to their own quarters to keep warm by the fire. Why would they come out for a stroll?


    However, that suited Zhao Mu just fine. He could finally practice martial arts without any concerns.


    After letting out a breath of white fog, he opened his palms.


    A bright red mysterious fruit that seemed to be stained with blood appeared out of nowhere.


    ¡°Assist my cultivation.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s gaze moved slightly as he put aside the hesitation in his mind.


    He ingested the fruit!


    The Blood Bodhi tumbled into his stomach!


    It only took a moment!


    A wave of burning Qi rushed throughout his body.


    Zhao Mu, who never practiced martial arts nor ingested any elixirs, immediately had his face flushed red. Veins popped up and started writhing.


    It was extremely horrifying!


    ¡°Tiger Demon Bone Refinement!¡±


    Zhao Mu endured the discomfort as he breathed out and shouted, assuming a pose.


    He looked like a cooked prawn with hot steam wafting up all over his body.


    His hands and legs moved at the same time and twisted the muscles on his body together, as though weaving them into a long rope.


    A wave of numbness and pain rushed to his head. He felt as though ants were climbing all over him, making it unbearable.


    ¡°Move the body, not the heart. Focus the mind¡­¡±


    Zhao Mu used the classics from the Saint¡¯s writings to suppress the tremor in his mind, remaining calm.


    The Blood Bodhi in his body emanated waves of heat that rushed throughout his body.


    The muscle tears and soreness that was caused by practicing the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist was quickly patched up and healed.


    Only a lone figure with a white fox fur coat was seen threading in the snow, swinging his limbs around as bursts of air rippled outward, causing explosive noises.


    Before the cotton-like snowflakes could near him, they were immediately melted by the heat released from the pores of his skin.


    ¡°This Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist technique seems to be deeply imprinted in my mind!¡±


    The more Zhao Mu practiced, the more shocked he became.


    He only needed the slightest thought to extract information of the otherworldly martial arts that was imprinted in his mind and a small golden figure that looked like him would repeatedly demonstrate it for him.


    It looked as though a series of ¡®+1¡¯ kept appearing on the top of his head.


    His proficiency of that technique rose quickly as well.


    Merging and connecting the techniques, it was deeply imprinted in his mind.


    At the same time, the Blood Bodhi made a cracking sound and melted off completely, dissipating into his body.


    It turned into waves of boiling Qi that filled up all his bones and blood vessels.


    Bang!


    With a single step, the snow swirled around him.


    His boiling Qi was like a roaring furnace, pushing back the bone biting chill that was coming at him.


    The muscles on his arms twisted together and immediately blasted out a snow-white air current!


    Exhale!


    Inhale!


    His muscles squeezed as though they were tempered like steel.


    His pores opened and closed, excreting sweat and impurities.


    Zhao Mu¡¯s chest heaved and felt as though he was filled with a wave of limitless energy.


    Out in the open, the heavy snow was bellowing.


    Using that rush that came from within him, his fists grew faster and the moves were turning more agile.


    If a top tier expert martial artist was around, he would never have guessed that Zhao Mu was a complete greenhorn in martial arts.


    Just his moves alone would have gotten Zhao Mu acknowledged.


    Along with the Blood Bodhi¡¯s refinement, the enormous energy contained within it transformed into his strength.


    It pulled in the wind and snow to form a circular swirl.


    ¡°It seems like I¡¯m breaking through.¡±


    Without feeling tired, he practiced the 200 over moves of Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist for several cycles.


    After that, Zhao Mu felt that his body was burning up like a furnace. His Qi boiled, warming up his entire body. He could no longer feel the biting chill of the wind.


    His pores expelled heat and managed to cause several feet of accumulated snow around him to melt.


    ¡°Form Shaping¡¯s hallmark for completion is to have an active Qi circulation that burns like a furnace.¡±


    Zhao Mu pondered to himself. In that one night, he should have achieved the first Mortal Stage.


    After calming his breath, the mysterious stone dial in his mind leaked out several lines of text¡ª


    [Zhao Mu]


    [Thirty years of internal strength.]


    [Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist.]


    It was simple and straightforward.


    ¡°That Blood Bodhi provided me with thirty years worth of accumulated internal strength. It¡¯s truly wonderful.¡±


    Zhao Mu looked up at the sky. Several hours passed and the snow was subsiding with the sky growing brighter.


    He returned to Longevity Hall. Walking along the corridor, he suddenly stood still and turned around.


    In the past, that heavy palace door seemed to be shackled by weights, suffocating him within.


    At that moment, everything changed.


    The walls in his mind seemed to have toppled over, granting him a feeling of relief.


    The palace door in the distance had also appeared small and insignificant.


    ¡°Just like how a tiger had to endure the claws and teeth of a dog outside his own territory¡­¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s eyes glowed brightly, seemingly clearer than before.


    After 12 years of imprisonment in the cold palace, the time has finally come.


    From that moment on, his life would surely be less miserable than before!

 Chapter 4

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Time flew by like a horse galloping through the plains. A few days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Zhao Mu¡¯s lifestyle was the same as before, spending each day reading, writing, and painting.


    It was hardly any different from those studious scholars polishing their characters in the Tianjing Library.


    Of course, all that was just a facade.


    During the day, Zhao Mu would walk around Eternal Happiness Palace and look for places he could imprint his Dao mark and acquire foreign objects.


    At night, he would practice his martial arts and meditate, tempering his bones and physique.


    With the 30 years of internal energy refined from the Blood Bodhi, its effects were akin to Zhao Mu consuming elixirs and applying salves every day.


    When paired with the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist, the effects of his physique¡¯s training were extremely obvious.


    At that moment, he was no longer the helpless and crippled prince.


    Even several burly men from the army might find it difficult to confront him.


    Huff!


    Within the bedroom, Zhao Mu sat on the bed in the lotus position.


    He slowly opened his eyes as his chest moved, letting out a long breath of white fog.


    His strong internal organs moved his internal breath, pushing it out like a flying sword. It shot out over half a foot and lingered for some time.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already completed the Body Tempering Stage. My internal organs are as tough as an iron plate and my internal breath strong enough to be expelled like a sword.¡±


    Zhao Mu nodded in satisfaction. He flipped open the fist technique on the table. He then paired it with his breathing exercise from earlier as he immersed himself within the martial arts experience in his mind.


    One needed to be particular about learning methods.


    Mindless practice without understanding the concepts would result in low efficiency.


    He was imprisoned within the cold palace for 12 years. Although he had no special talents, he was quite well read.


    After reading through it for two hours, he closed its pages.


    On the cover, the words Great Zen Martial Scriptures were written boldly.


    Rumor has it that the fist technique came from the Heavenly Dragon Zen Garden, written by Monk Yuankong, who was the leading figure of the previous generation of Arhat Hall.


    Within it detailed the concept of ¡®Zen-Martial Unity¡¯ and also discussed in detail about the minute differences between Qi blood, Qi strength, and Qi force.


    Reading through those lines, Zhao Mu felt that Monk Yuankong had a great in-depth understanding of the first five levels of the ten levels of Mortal Stage.


    The scripture recorded the hallmark of Form Shaping Stage¡¯s completion.


    An active Qi that burned like a furnace, impervious to cold and heat.


    Completion of the Body Tempering stage would result in a strong internal breath, expelling it like a sword.


    Upon breaking through the Second Mortal Stage, one would not only grow strong enough to fight off 10 opponents, one would also be able to pull back a 120-tael heavy bow to let out seven consecutive shots. That was proof of the power of one¡¯s strength.


    Zhao Mu had ready a book on archery named Arm of God.


    It stated, ¡°Pulling the bow at full strength of one hundred twenty taels. That is known as the tiger¡¯s strength, not to be considered. Mid pull is lowered by twenty to thirty taels, while a low pull is halved.¡±


    Zhao Mu speculated that he should more or less have the so-called strength of a tiger.


    ¡°Too bad there are no heavy bows around that I can test with.¡±


    After the completion of two Mortal Stages, he felt reassured.


    A normal person would have to spend 10 to 20 years of hard work to go through Form Shaping and Body Tempering.


    Even children of big families would take several years to temper their physique.


    What about him?


    He achieved completion in just 10 days!


    With the mysterious stone dial¡¯s help, he might have the chance to aim for the level of an Innate grandmaster.


    Zhao Mu¡¯s heart was excited despite his calm expression.


    He took some snacks from the table and ate them.


    Ever since he started cultivating, his food intake increased daily and would eat multiple portions.


    ¡°If this goes on, I might be exposed.¡±


    Zhao Mu was worried even though he used the excuse of his developing body.


    However, the more he trained, the bigger his appetite would be. It would eventually attract the attention of others.


    Monk Yuankong of the Heavenly Dragon Temple mentioned it in the fist technique.


    Ever since he unblocked the apertures in his body, he would take five meals a day, consuming a cow each day.


    By the time he reached the fourth Mortal Stage, he would circulate his Qi continuously and went to nine meals a day, consuming three cows.


    The increase in energy requirements naturally increased his appetite. That was a necessity.


    Only when one reaches the fifth Mortal Stage of Foundation Establishment to develop the Dantian, where the Innate Qi reside, would one be free of such a scary eating habit.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hide this. I need to find another way.¡±


    Zhao Mu had been imprinting his Dao marks lately, signing in at various locations and obtained a number of foreign objects.


    In the study, he acquired the Perfect Memory ability.


    In the training room, he acquired the Weapons Mastery ability.


    In the meditation room, he acquired the Frozen Heart Scriptures¡­


    Zhao Mu explored the various halls and rooms in the Eternal Happiness Palace. Most of the things he acquired were just items of common rarity.


    Only on the rare lucky occasions would he imprint on some special abilities.


    The best reward he obtained was the Qi nurturing mantra that could suppress demons.


    Frozen Heart Mantra came from the Storm Riders comic.


    It was a secret technique that Lie Feng¡¯s family found in order to suppress the rampaging blood within his body.


    However, for Zhao Mu at that moment, the imprinted items were not useful as they would not give him any immediate benefit.


    ¡®Eternal Happiness Palace was the Eastern Palace1 complex used by the Crown Prince of the previous era. Several generations had passed and the Qi had grown weak. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s hard to imprint a suitable foreign object,¡¯ Zhao Mu thought to himself.


    He was not trying to find the best martial arts in the world and obtain an explosive growth that would immediately turn him into an Innate grandmaster.


    Putting the realisticness of that aside, even if it were possible, Zhao Mu might not be willing to do so.


    Monk Yuankong had mentioned in the fist technique that only the sincere could reach for the top on the path of martial arts.


    Training was for the body, physique, Qi, internal energy, and most importantly, the mind.


    With only internal energy, one could shatter the earth and crush mountains, but that would only be a barbaric martial artist. A person like that was not qualified to be a grandmaster.


    Fists and swords have their own intents!


    If one could not focus their will on the path of martial arts and transform their mental state to overcome all powers, then it would be impossible to reach greatness.


    ¡°I mustn¡¯t bite off more than I can chew. The Tiger Demon Bone Refinement technique is going smoothly. If I can find another technique that unblocks apertures, refine them, and condense true Qi, then I¡¯ll be able to break through once more.¡±


    Zhao Mu pondered. At the moment, he urgently needed to settle two things.


    First was his growing food consumption, which was hard to control.


    It might attract attention from others and expose him for secretly practicing martial arts.


    Next, he needed to imprint a martial arts technique that would give him a way to unblock apertures, then move forward at full speed to break through the next stage.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid Eternal Happiness Palace won¡¯t be sufficient. I need to find a suitable location.¡±


    Zhao Mu turned around and his gaze went beyond the window.


    The imperial city was huge. How many places were there with deep Qi veins?


    Clement Hall, the hall where the officials pay their respects to the Emperor of Zhou and discuss state matters.


    Virtue Hall, residence of the Crown Prince.


    Queen¡¯s Court, the palace complex where the queen and consorts reside.


    There was also the library, armory, sacrificial altar¡­ and other restricted areas.


    If he could sign in at those locations and imprint his Dao mark, it would surely bring him great rewards.


    ¡®The imperial library and armory is out of the question.¡¯


    Zhao Mu contemplated and thought to himself, ¡®However, nearby Jingren Palace seems to be the library that¡¯s shared by all the princes.¡±


    Although he had never left the cold palace since birth, the Eleventh Prince often stayed in the inner palace. Because of his young age, he could enter the various palaces freely.


    From the words of his little brother, Zhao Mu eventually gained a rough understanding of the imperial city¡¯s layout.


    ¡°Jingren Palace is nearby, and the cold palace doesn¡¯t have many royal guards. The security is lax. I¡¯ll wait until midnight then take a tour after masking my face and changing my clothes,¡± Zhao Mu decided after pacing about.


    If it were in the past, something serious like leaving the cold palace on his own accord against the emperor¡¯s will would make him hesitate and reconsider.


    However, after learning martial arts, Zhao Mu realized that his physique was not the only thing that grew stronger. His courage was also growing with each passing day.


    ¡°This must be why the wise say that we need to mind the body before minding the soul.¡±


    From Zhao Mu¡¯s perspective, a firm and peaceful heart was not something easily achievable.


    Without strength or anything to rely on, it would only be a fragile bubble that was easily popped.

 Chapter 5

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Midnight¡­


    The chilling wind howled.


    A black figure scuttled out of Eternal Happiness Palace.


    Zhao Mu disguised himself and left the hall.


    His internal energy pulsed as he applied strength on his foot.


    With just a few steps, he got up to the roof¡¯s ridge and vaulted over the palace walls.


    He was like an agile black cat, quickly moving through the dark corners.


    Fortunately, no royal guards patrolled around the cold palace during that season. He would only occasionally run into a few eunuchs on duty.


    Zhao Mu was able to quickly hide behind the decorative hills, or around a corner to stay out of sight.


    There were surprises along the way, but he made it to Jingren Palace safely.


    ¡®I can¡¯t go any further.¡¯


    Zhao Mu¡¯s brows twitched as he felt a foreboding feeling.


    If he continued further, he would reach the Eastern Palace1, Queen¡¯s Court, and other important areas of the inner court.


    He knew that martial arts were celebrated in this world.


    It had been 200 years since the founding of the Zhou Kingdom and three generations had passed.


    There would definitely be no lack of expert guards and guest masters.


    Trespassing into the inner court at a mere second Mortal Stage was no doubt courting death.


    If not for Jingren Palace being nearby the cold palace and its security more relaxed than the important locations in the inner districts, Zhao Mu would never take such a risk.


    ¡°Jingren Palace is the residence of Consort Ning. Little Yuan had also stayed here for some time, but later moved to Eternal Harmony Palace.¡±


    Zhao Mu was extremely careful. He remained hidden for some time and did not approach in a hurry.


    He scouted the surroundings. After noticing nothing out of the ordinary, he shifted his gaze to a four-storey building nearby.


    That was the private library shared by the princes. Kept within it were many classics of the six arts.


    In ancient times, there were many educated officials and they debated.


    A scholar suggested the ¡®Gentleman Theory¡¯.


    He felt that students needed to study in six basic fields.


    They were the fields of ethics, music, archery, riding, literacy, and mathematics.


    One would only be considered a gentleman after learning all six arts.


    Out of the six, archery and riding were not simple techniques in archery and steering a carriage.


    They were instead compulsory courses to train one¡¯s strength, courage, and nurtured Qi and blood circulation.


    ¡°There are plenty of scriptures and records within the library. Should I go in and have a look?¡±


    With him being only a dozen steps away, Zhao Mu felt the urge to go in.


    If he only imprinted his Dao mark and acquired the foreign object, he might not get what he wanted.


    The library surely had books of martial arts kept within it.


    If he used his Perfect Memory ability to memorize a few books, he could then go through them in secret, cross-checking them with each other..


    It would also help him grow his knowledge and improve his understanding over the subject.


    ¡°Forget it. I better be careful. I¡¯ll just take a few more steps forward and leave after imprinting my Dao mark.¡±


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Zhao Mu forced down the urges and impatience within him.


    His cultivation stage was too low. If he barged into the library and met an expert guarding the place, he would most likely be apprehended instantly.


    He better err on the side of caution before reaching the Innate Grandmaster Stage.


    One¡­two¡­three steps.


    Zhao Mu crept closer. He felt the mysterious stone dial in his mind trembling more and more.


    There were conditions to imprinting his Dao mark.


    He must be nearby, and it required three breaths of time.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s here!¡±


    Before he could finish imprinting, the alert Zhao Mu heard a series of footsteps.


    He saw a skinny figure running in the snow at full speed, crossing the expanse in an instant.


    The other party did not take the main door and climbed in through the window directly. He stepped on the eaves and rolled into the library¡¯s second floor.


    The entire set of movements were smooth, seemingly well practiced.


    ¡°What¡¯s Little Yuan doing?¡±


    That person did not wear any disguise, nor did he masked his face. It was the Eleventh Prince, Zhao Yuan.


    Zhao Mu had a fleeting moment of shock. He did not expect to run into his brother when visiting the library late in the night.


    What was that all about?


    Brother in arms?


    However, Zhao Yuan was not forbidden from learning martial arts. Why did he need to sneak into the library in the middle of the night?


    As long as it was not some secret art, the princes could learn any martial arts techniques within the imperial city¡¯s inner district. Why the need for secrecy?


    With doubts in his heart, Zhao Mu waited for a while before doing the same.


    He nimbly pushed the window open and slipped into the building.


    As a transmigrated soul from another world, Zhao Mu had never seen his parents, therefore felt nothing about it.


    However, the same could not be said for his brother, Zhao Yuan.


    The cold palace was surrounded heavily by cold air. Whenever Winter came, it would feel like an icy cave.


    When Zhao Mu just transmigrated over, it was truly unbearable.


    One year, he caught a serious cold.


    There was no one to care for him in the palace. He almost froze to death on the bed.


    Zhao Yuan secretly consulted the imperial doctor to prescribe some medicine and delivered them to him in secret along with fur coats. After that, he instructed the Imperial Household Department to get a heating stove, charcoal, and other necessities. If not for that, Zhao Mu would have died within the cold palace before the mysterious stone dial could be activated.


    That was why he could not sit by and watch when it had to do with his brother, Zhao Yuan.


    ¡°Lucky me. There are no experts.¡±


    Zhao Mu scanned the surroundings and celebrated internally.


    It was empty inside. The lower floors had a few lamps. The eunuchs in charge of cleaning had huddled up together and were laying on the table fast asleep.


    Beside their legs were several burning charcoal stoves used for keeping warm.


    Thinking about it carefully, it made sense.


    After all, it was just a personal library for the princes.


    There was no need to go through the trouble of sending some experts over to guard it.


    Within the library¡­


    The first floor was historical records.


    The second floor stored books regarding martial arts.


    Meanwhile, the third floor were miscellaneous books and ancient books.


    With a flash, Zhao Yuan went up to the third floor without pause.


    Zhao Mu stepped lightly and followed closely from behind.


    He hid between the two floors, suppressed his breathing and focused. He could hear his brother¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Master, I¡¯m here.¡±


    While nobody was paying attention, Zhao Mu moved quickly and hid between the shelves, looking over.


    He noticed that Zhao Yuan prostrated himself. From the lower shelf of the third book rack, he removed a thin booklet.


    The young Eleventh Prince produced three sticks of incense and tried to lit them with folded paper.


    The strands of smoke transformed and formed a blurrish face.


    Following that, the air rumbled and a hoarse nightingale-like voice could be heard.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been two months and you¡¯ve reached the adept stage of the Form Shaping level! Excellent! As expected of my good disciple!¡±


    A hint of respect appeared on Zhao Yuan¡¯s handsome and feminine face.


    Before he could speak, his master had already known his improvement in martial arts.


    Just how profound was that!?


    Just that insight and knowledge alone was already far beyond the royal guard instructor.


    ¡°My dear disciple, I¡¯ll teach you a few more tricks! In terms of tempering your strength and bones, this Tiger Crane Fists that I created is a rare treasure!¡±


    Within the book, that nightingale-like voice boasted proudly, ¡°Even the Heavenly Dragon Temple¡¯s baldy, Chaos Origin Path, Scarlet Manor, Dharma Mountain¡­ None can compare!¡±


    Lingering will in the book?


    Tiger Crane Fists?


    Zhao Mu, who was hiding in a corner, frowned.


    That mind was able to imprint itself on an inanimate object and affect the physical world, shaking the air currents while creating voices.


    That might be an expert at the Spiritual Transformation level!


    When did his brother get acquainted with such a weird master?


    On the third floor, that extremely odd lingering thought in the book started passing on its knowledge on martial arts.


    Half an hour passed quickly. Following that, the rumbling of mental energy weakened.


    The voice caused by the air currents grew softer as well.


    ¡°We¡¯ll stop here today. You¡¯re born in the imperial family and won¡¯t be lacking in terms of supplementary materials like elixirs and salves. Go do your thing. Come back in a month!¡±


    Zhao Yuan nodded respectfully, about to kowtow and take his leave.


    It was a serendipitous encounter.


    Who would have thought a mysticism book on Feng Shui named Geomancy of Eight Veins would be imprinted with the lingering will of an expert of the Spiritual Transformation level.


    ¡°Master, how long would it take for me to reach the Innate Grandmaster Stage?¡± Zhao Yuan asked in a solemn tone after hesitating for some time, before the book closed fully.


    ¡°Do you think Innate Grandmasters are like cabbages that you can find randomly in the market?¡±


    That nightingale-like voice burst out laughing, feeling that its own disciple was being ignorant.


    ¡°My dear disciple! Even if you¡¯re a natural born martial artist, had exceptional talent, learned martial arts at greater rate than others, and have no bottlenecks, I can only guarantee your arrival at Foundation Establishment, or Qi Refinement Stage! Any higher would require decades of training and hard work!


    ¡°As for the Innate Grandmaster Stage, it¡¯s impossible to reach without some luck on your side!¡±


    The lingering will within the book seemed rather excited.


    There were many Spiritual Transformation Experts, but only so few Innate Grandmasters.


    It was a qualitative transformation.


    Those who succeed would dominate the world.


    Those who fail would toil for the rest of their lives.


    After hearing that, Zhao Yuan did not falter. He asked, ¡°Master, you come from¡­Sacred Sect. Are there no shortcuts?¡±


    ¡°Get that crooked thought out of your head immediately!¡±


    That hoarse voice suddenly turned stern.


    ¡°Our Six Sacred Sects were deemed as evil sects by the Three Orthodox Doctrines1 because we acted with impunity and went against traditions.


    ¡°However, in terms of martial arts cultivation, there aren¡¯t many differences.


    ¡°I have traveled forty-nine provinces, but have yet to come across any shortcuts. Hehe, there are plenty of idiots that died quickly instead!


    ¡°If you want to take shortcuts, then you might as well give up practicing martial arts. Just jump off a cliff and see if you can run into some miracle cultivator to pass you his arts and send you to heaven instantly!¡±


    Seeing his master¡¯s anger, Zhao Yuan quickly lowered his head and kept quiet.


    The reason he asked that was because he wished to save his brother from the cold palace as soon as he could.


    Five, ten, twenty years¡­


    He could wait, but could his brother wait?


    ¡°Kid, you¡¯re too obstinate. If you have any longings, it would be easy to run into barriers in your martial arts cultivation! Yet somehow, you¡¯re a great talent that¡¯s suited to join our Sacred Sect.¡±


    The lingering will in the book turned to laughter, seemingly out of satisfaction and admiration.


    ¡°Those baldy and bandits are just fake gentlemen. They called us ¡®demonic¡¯, but what¡¯s the definition of being demonic? Any obsession without realization is demonic!¡±


    Zhao Yuan mulled over the meaning behind his master¡¯s words. He closed the book after the lingering will dispersed, then headed back along the path he came from.


    In just a few breaths, the third floor of the library returned to its quiet state.


    Zhao Mu came out from his hiding spot. His eyes glowed faintly with a hesitant look on his face.


    Logically speaking, his brother just had a fortuitous encounter.


    He would be having great achievements in the path of martial arts in the future. It was a good thing.


    However, when he thought about it in detail, that lingering will in the book was not someone of good character.


    Otherwise, why would he bear such a condescending attitude to the Heavenly Dragon Temple, Chaos Origin Path, and the other great sects?


    Furthermore, the tone of voice was filled with animosity and ridicule.


    Most importantly, Sacred Sect?


    That was the Demon Sect!


    ¡°Should I do something?¡±


    Zhao Mu did not wish to ruin his brother¡¯s fortuitous encounter, but he did not want to let Zhao Yuan take such risks.


    If that lingering will in the book was a great demon¡­that would be bad.


    Within the Divine Continent, apart from the Ten Great Sects, there were the Demon Sects. In fact, because of their ancient inheritance, they were listed as the Six Sacred Grounds.


    According to rumors, those evil cultivators were the most mysterious and ruthless. They were existences that struck fear in the world of martial arts.


    While Zhao Mu was hesitating, the mysterious stone dial in his mind started trembling and shaking violently.


    ¡®You¡¯ve arrived at the library. Acquired lingering will of the Spiritual Transformation Stage!¡¯


    ¡®Would you like to imprint?¡¯


    Zhao Mu raised his brows.


    ¡®There¡¯s such a function?¡¯

 Chapter 6

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡®Imprint.¡¯


    With just a thought from Zhao Mu, the mysterious stone dial emitted a bright light.


    Despite him having mentally prepared for it, the torrential flow of the massive mental energy still made him feel a little overwhelmed.


    It felt like being hit with a sledgehammer on the head.


    Ouch!


    Zhao Mu gasped deeply as his body trembled slightly.


    It took him several minutes to recover from the daze.


    He was only at the second Mortal Stage while Spiritual Transformation was the eighth stage.


    The gap between them was undeniably huge.


    If not for that person only leaving behind a tiny shred of lingering will, along with the help of the mysterious stone dial, Zhao Mu would not have attempted it.


    ¡°Huo Rulie?¡±


    Zhao Mu was processing the vast memories of that person¡¯s life in his mind.


    ¡®Huo Rulie, guardian of Longevity Hall. Died to Diamond Palm by Monk Nothingness of the Heavenly Dragon Temple.¡¯


    ¡®Eighth Mortal Stage, Spiritual Transformation Expert. Proficient arts: Presence Concealment Mantra, Tiger Crane Fists, Nine Revival Technique¡­¡¯


    ¡°So he¡¯s really a member of the demonic sects.¡¯


    Zhao Mu observed carefully. That booklet was stuffed at the bottom of the book rack as a place mat, showing no signs of movements.


    It seemed the mysterious stone dial¡¯s imprinting of mental energy to extract memories would not be noticed by others.


    At least it was not noticeable by an Eighth Mortal Stage Spiritual Transformation Expert.


    From Huo Rulie¡¯s lingering will, Zhao Mu learned the names of the six demonic sects.


    Blood Soul Sect, Deathless Hall, Scarlet Heart Cult, Nether Sect, Hidden Bone Mountain, and Nascent Spirit Palace.


    They were the six different lineages of the demonic sects.


    Of the six, the Deathless Hall sought after immortality.


    They regard the physical body as merely clothing that could be swapped around, and one¡¯s mind and soul was the only hope to break free from mortal suffering.


    Because of that, they placed great importance on spiritual training.


    The Nine Revival Technique that Huo Rulie cultivated was a type of extraordinary spirit tempering art that would allow one to survive dangerous encounters.


    The riskier the encounter, the more it would stimulate one¡¯s Qi and boost cultivation.


    ¡®Therefore, the members of Deathless Hall are a bunch of people that loved to court death?¡¯ Zhao Mu thought to himself in shock.


    Judging from the memories of Huo Rulie¡¯s lingering will, the moment the disciples of Deathless Hall enter society, they love to provoke other sects and stir up trouble.


    Chaos and bloodshed would follow wherever they went.


    They were a bunch of lunatics, bringer of calamity that people tried hard to avoid.


    30 years ago, Hu Rulie tried to steal the Heavenly Dragon Temple¡¯s Diamond Indestructible Art and was killed by Monk Nothingness with nine palm strikes.


    Essentially, he caused his own death.


    ¡°These weird arts actually exist!¡± Zhao Mu exclaimed in astonishment.


    However, in Huo Rulie¡¯s lingering will, the records of Nine Revival Technique were incomplete.


    Of course, Zhao Mu had no interest in such an art that required him to live on a sword¡¯s edge.


    Stability was the way to go. It would be best to be like the Sword God of Ten Miles Slope1, venturing out on the day he became unbeatable.


    Therefore, Zhao Mu felt that the randomly obtained Presence Concealment Mantra was more practical.


    Huo Rulie relied on that amazing art to infiltrate the Heavenly Dragon Temple for five whole years without being noticed.


    It was a janitorial monk that discovered him when he snuck into the library, leading to the leader of Arhat Hall being alerted to the situation. If not for that, he would not have been beaten to death in such a tragic manner.


    ¡°Conceal all presence, let the mind be still.¡±


    Zhao Mu memorized the mantra and imprinted it on his mind.


    As for the Tiger Crane Fists that Huo Rulie was so proud of, he merely gave it a quick glance and did not continue further.


    It only had a total of 81 moves. It was much weaker when compared to Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist!


    It appeared that the martial arts of this world focused more on Qi essence, growth of internal energy, and absorption.


    They cared less in the aspects of strengthening the body and tempering it through internal and external means.


    ¡°This person doesn¡¯t have any evil intention. He¡¯s only trying to use Little Yuan to get another chance at revival.¡±


    After reading through Huo Rulie¡¯s memories from his lingering will, Zhao Mu let out a sigh of relief.


    This world had the concept of the cycle of reincarnation as well.


    It is said that after death, one¡¯s soul would enter the Nether World.


    Just like Huo Rulie. His physical body was destroyed, and only a shred of lingering will was left behind.


    Either his mental imprint fades away over time and disappears for good, or he manages to be sustained by incense and retain his consciousness, which can later look for a good family to be born into.


    ¡®I wonder if you¡¯re the lucky one, or Little Yuan,¡¯ Zhao Mu thought to himself as his gaze shifted.


    His brother would surely avoid a lot of erroneous paths with the guidance of a Spiritual Transformation Expert.


    If Huo Rulie worked hard without evil thoughts, it would not be hard for him to use the power from incense to maintain his shred of lingering will for reincarnation.


    Compared to plotting and scheming, that was the true win-win scenario.


    Seeing that his goals had been completed, Zhao Mu jumped out of the window and departed.


    By the time he returned to the bed chamber of Eternal Happiness Hall, dawn was near as the edge of the horizon started brightening up.


    After an entire night without sleep, Zhao Mu somehow felt fully energized.


    Eighth level of the Mortal Stage. The martial arts experience of a Spiritual Transformation Expert opened his eyes, broadening his knowledge and vision greatly in an instant.


    It was as though he had just jumped out of his little pond and discovered a whole new world.


    ¡°I see. This world is so interesting. It¡¯s even bigger and more magnificent than the scenery I¡¯ve read from the books.¡±


    Zhao Mu sat on the bed, feeling his emotions going wild.


    After anticipating for some time, he composed himself and shut his eyes.


    Between his breaths, the 30 years of vast internal energy rumbled along and coursed through his entire body, giving him a warm feeling.


    No matter what the outside world was like, focusing on his martial arts training was the way to go.


    After acquiring Huo Rulie¡¯s life experience, it helped enlighten Zhao Mu, who knew little about martial arts.


    ¡°There are actually so many things regarding the third Mortal Stage of Unblocking Aperture.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s heart trembled. According to Huo Rulie¡¯s thoughts, the Unblocking Aperture Stage was an extremely important gateway.


    Within the human body, there were nine main apertures and 81 acupoints.


    They need to be stimulated with internal energy to unblock each point and then nurture the aperture and acupoints throughout the body.


    With that, it would circulate on its own and form a Qi cycle.


    That was equivalent to meditating day and night to strengthen one¡¯s Qi blood.


    The mark of its completion was the transformation of internal energy into true Qi.


    At that stage, one could mold iron like mud, smash apart rock columns, and tear wild beasts apart with ease.


    ¡°With higher grade aperture unblocking cultivation methods, the refined true Qi will be stronger.¡±


    Zhao Mu contemplated. If he did not have any high grade cultivation method and the transformed true Qi turned out to be weak, then it would be extremely difficult for him to advance further in the future.


    For example, Huo Rulie¡¯s Nine Revival Technique allowed him to refine a strand of True Revival Qi.


    No matter how bad the injuries, he could still be saved as long as he held a breath of life. That gave him an extremely strong life force.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go check out the library again tomorrow night.¡±


    Zhao Mu decided as he placed both his hands on his knees.


    After resting quietly for a moment, the sky turned bright. Suddenly, he heard some faint noises coming from outside.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Zhao Mu got out of his bed chamber. He saw the eunuchs and maids of Eternal Happiness Palace looking pale, as though they just overheard some bad news.


    Seeing the Tenth Prince being alerted, the servants quickly knelt down.


    They had a complicated look in their eyes, mixed with a hint of fear.


    It was as though Zhao Mu had contracted some sort of infectious disease that they wanted to stay away from.


    ¡°R-R-Reporting to the Tenth Prince,¡± one of the old eunuchs said in a trembling voice. He added in a stutter, ¡°T-T-The Fifth Prince¡­Hong1!¡±


    The Fifth Prince?


    Zhao Mu frowned slightly and tried to recall.


    Zhao Cheng, was it?


    He remembered that brother was talented in martial arts. He was a natural born commander material and was highly favored by the emperor.


    In recent years, he showed signs of outshining the Crown Prince.


    Apart from the pitiful duo, Zhao Mu and Zhao Yuan, who had nobody to rely on, the other princes could be separated into three factions.


    The Eastern Palace¡¯s faction with the Crown Prince at its lead.


    They held great power within the imperial court, garnering the protection from many old officials.


    Meanwhile, the Fifth Prince formed his own faction.


    Because of his outstanding martial arts and ability to lead an army, he was respected among the military commanders.


    According to rumors, the Fifth Prince was sworn brothers and had excellent ties with Fang Chengyun, who was the son of Fourth Marquis Fang. He was also the commanding general of the Divine Strategy Battalion.


    Last but not least, was the young Ninth Prince.


    He was under 20 years of age, but had been granted the title of Duke, ruling over an entire province.


    Rumors outside claimed that he was well connected to the rich families. Furthermore, his mother was from the Cui clan of Qinghe County, another force that should not be underestimated.


    All in all, the past few years of power shifts in the imperial court were mostly caused by the fights between those three factions.


    ¡°Fifth Brother is still in his prime. How did he¡­¡± Zhao Mu asked briefly.


    Hong [2] was a term used for the death of a prince or marquis.


    It was recorded in the Classic of Rites: Death of an emperor, Beng. Death of Princes and Marquis, Hong. Death of ministers, Zu. Death of commoners, Si.


    The Fifth Prince was already an expert of the Qi Refinement Stage, achieving the state of unity and impervious to poison. How could he die so easily?


    ¡°The Yuanmeng Empire attacked our borders. The Fifth Prince was ambushed at the Yongxue Pass.¡±


    The eunuch did not know much and could only provide a vague answer.


    The Fifth Prince most likely went to patrol the borders at the request of the emperor.


    Coincidentally, it was met with the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s attack on the borders, launching their attack on Yongxue Pass.


    With the collision of both parties, the Fifth Prince was not the only one that met his demise from the ambush.


    Marquis Yang Kezhong had also lost his life in service to the kingdom, along with 50 thousand soldiers.


    It was a huge loss!


    That piece of news had already reached Tianjing City and caused unrest.


    ¡°Is this the start of a war?¡±


    Zhao Mu raised his head in contemplation.

 Chapter 7

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Three days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Zhao Mu continued to strengthen his physical body.


    He had yet to acquire a method to unblock his aperture.


    He had plenty of time to solidify his foundation.


    Inhale!


    Exhale!


    He expelled a white fog that was several feet in length. It was like a curtain, blocking off the bed within his bedchamber.


    Zhao Mu once again ended his meditation. His body felt light as his internal breath turned even purer.


    Being so hardworking in his practice somehow made him relive the rush, the sense of achievement when he played a game overnight to pass a level.


    Be it disciples of the major sects, or members of the Sacred Sects, most of them yearned for breaking through and advancing their cultivation stage.


    Only a weirdo like Zhao Mu, who acquired such vast internal energy without any hard work, would seek for perfection to that extent.


    ¡°Things sure are getting rowdy over the past few days.¡±


    Zhao Mu blinked, his eyes giving off a bright flash.


    That was the visible mark of an abundance of internal energy.


    The Emperor of Zhou had just lost a son, and the imperial court lost a marquis along with an army of 50 thousand soldiers.


    The wolf riders of the Yuanmeng Empire had yet to retreat and were still harassing the borders.


    Within the imperial court, the atmosphere was tense, awaiting the impending chaos.


    The ministers were up in arms. Some wanted to start the war while some wanted a peace treaty.


    However, all those had nothing to do with Zhao Mu. His life in the cold palace was not affected.


    The only thing that annoyed him was the topic of his fate of bringing harm to his brothers and father was once again being brought up.


    The gossip started and quickly spread throughout Tianjing City.


    To the outside world, the imprisoned Zhao Mu had already transformed into a full fledged bringer of calamity.


    ¡°Trouble comes looking for me somehow,¡± he sighed helplessly.


    Those busybodies just had to blame him for the Third Prince and Sixth Prince¡¯s illness, even the Crown Prince¡¯s illness due to the invasion of evil energy.


    If they add the Fifth Prince¡¯s passing to the blame, then it would further prove Astronomer Yuan Li¡¯s fortune telling.


    However, Zhao Mu felt indignant as well. He had done nothing other than staying quietly within the cold palace for over a dozen years.


    He never even interacted with the Third Prince, Sixth Prince, Crown Prince, or even the Fifth Prince.


    Although they were brothers, he never met them and had no interactions with them.


    If Zhao Mu¡¯s curse was so powerful, then he had nothing to say.


    Luck and fate was a thing in that world.


    However, pinning all calamities, anomalies, and strange happenings on a person¡¯s fate being bad was just too ridiculous!


    ¡°I wonder if the emperor will send me to watch over the imperial tomb in Tong Province this time?¡±


    Zhao Mu recalled that the Crown Prince had brought up the issue of exiling him from the imperial city.


    Leaving the inner districts of the imperial city would be both beneficial and detrimental for him.


    Although the cold palace was a prison, it was also a good place to imprint his Dao mark and sign in.


    For the past three days, he had obtained several power boosting elixirs using the mysterious stone dial, gaining another 20 years worth of internal energy within his body.


    With almost 60 years of pure Qi cleansing his body, it was akin to him ingesting spiritual medicine every day.


    Even the Crown Prince might not receive such benefits.


    ¡°Why think so much? I should just calmly practice martial arts.¡±


    Zhao Mu cleared the random thoughts in his mind and waited for midnight.


    Recently, the imperial palace inner sanctum was in a gloomy atmosphere. The princes and princesses were mourning. He did not have the free time to visit the library.


    That day, he had free time. Furthermore, not knowing if he would be exiled from the imperial city, the matter of signing in and imprinting Dao mark would have to be moved forward.


    With the moon in the sky, a black figure once again zoomed out of Eternal Happiness Palace.


    Zhao Mu moved as though he was flying, blending into the night.


    Even an expert of the fifth Mortal Stage would find it difficult to detect his presence.


    Ever since he reached the adept level for Presence Concealment Mantra, Zhao Mu¡¯s Qi were hidden within him and his breathing was almost undetectable.


    Outsiders would never know that he was a martial arts practitioner.


    Zhao Mu strode in the chilling wind. He was like a phantom, stepping on roof tiles and ridges.


    He climbed in through the window in a well practiced manner and headed straight for the fourth floor.


    That floor was used to store various weapons and armors. The area was heavily clad in killing intent.


    At an eye catching location, a painting several feet long was hung¡ªSeasons of Rivers and Mountains.


    The ink tone and brush strokes gave off an air of magnificence and grandeur.


    With one look, one could tell that it was drawn by a famous artist.


    Zhao Mu took a few glances, standing in place.


    Within his mind, the mysterious stone dial suddenly started shaking and a line of text streamed out of it.


    ¡®You¡¯ve arrived at the library. Acquired Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures!¡¯


    ¡®Would you like to imprint?¡¯


    Zhao Mu nodded.


    A high grade cultivation art was something he lacked.


    It could help him unblock his aperture and acupoints to transform his true Qi!


    He had heard of Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures in his previous life.


    It appeared to have originated from Hong Kong¡¯s manhua, Legend of the Emperors. It was the strongest technique used by generations of the Ming Sect¡¯s leaders.


    In terms of grade, it should not lose to the top grade secret arts of this world.


    Buzz!


    Zhao Mu closed his eyes. He silently savored the feeling of being infused by the mysterious technique, oblivious to the huge changes of the world outside the library!


    Flashes of blinding golden light flowed out like a stream, creating a river and mountains painting that went on for thousands of miles!


    Five of its peaks pierced through the clouds.


    The river ran, splitting the continent.


    It was both grand and beautiful!


    It was like a long roll of painting that was unfurled, shadowing half the imperial city in an instant.


    ¡°Thousands of miles of mountains and rivers! What a grand phenomenon!¡±


    A middle-aged burly man that walked out of the Hanging Arch Palace watched with great interest.


    He was the brother of the Emperor of Zhou, a marquis with great authority.


    ¡°Is it the Crown Prince that managed to reach the Foundation Establishment stage? Or perhaps¡­¡±


    Marquis Zhao Kai stood outside the palace, speculating in silence with a solemn expression.


    Imperial observatory, Tianjing City.


    Below the 90 feet tall platform, Astronomer Yuan Li¡¯s eyes were filled with shock.


    His brows scrunched up into a frown, saying in a confused tone, ¡°The emperor¡¯s star is twinkling. What does this mean? Could it be¡­ the marquis entered the palace and spooked the imperial dragon Qi?¡±


    Astronomer Yuan Li, who was already at the Eighth Mortal Stage, the Spirit Transformation Stage, looked at the imperial city from afar.


    He counted with his fingers, and the shock in his eyes grew.


    The phenomena of the thousands of miles of rivers and mountains changed once again!


    A majestic sun rose in all its glory, giving off its bright light and almost burnt Yuan Li¡¯s eyes.


    Following that, another cool crescent moon shot up into the sky, giving off a soft glow that illuminated the entire imperial city.


    Sun and moon shared the same sky. One in the East, one in the West, each governing half the realm.


    The grandeur of that weather phenomenon was beyond words.


    ¡°Could it be some great martial arts talent that reached the Foundation Establishment Stage and manifested the phenomenon in the sky?¡±


    Astronomer Yuan Li retracted his gaze, enduring the stinging pain as he speculated.


    The Zhou Kingdom had gone by several generations without seeing such a phenomenon.


    Within the library, Zhao Mu, who caused the shocking scene, turned around and departed.


    While the strange phenomenon was still being played out, he quickly returned to Eternal Happiness Palace.


    Fortunately for him, the grand scenery and the strange signs of celestial bodies sharing the same sky covered half of the imperial city.


    Even if the matter was investigated, it would take a long time before they linked it to him.


    ¡°Divine Sun and Moon Scripture¡­¡±


    Back in his chamber, Zhao Mu took off his dark clothings. He bunched them into a ball and threw them into the three legged copper stove.


    The charcoal was burning fiercely, creating a cloud of smoke.


    ¡°A martial art that could manifest strange phenomena? What grade would it be?¡±


    After absorbing the experience from Huo Rulie, Zhao Mu gained some understanding of the various categorizations of the world.


    Cultivation techniques were separated into common, high grade, secret art, divine art, and Dao canon.


    Something that could move the essence of nature to manifest a phenomenon would be considered a divine art!


    Throughout the several thousands of years within the Divine Continent, it only happened several times.


    The Scattering Flowers of Mount Meru!


    The Son of Yama of the Forsaken God Cult!


    Dancing Star Melody of the Yin Summit Academy!


    Ancient Azure Skies of Purple Firmament Palace!


    North Star and Altair of the Nine Swords Peak!


    Crying Gods of the Six Demonic Sects!


    The strange phenomena in the records were all manifested at the six sacred grounds with no exception.


    ¡°They need to add one more now.¡±


    Zhao Mu was elated. The drawing within the library must have had some exceptional background.


    Otherwise, how would he imprint a divine art out of it?


    ¡°Divine Sun and Moon Scripture, Qi of Yin and Yang?¡±


    Zhao Mu sat on the bed in the lotus position, absorbing the martial arts essence that was infused into his mind.


    A small golden figure that seemed to be a replica of himself lectured him and provided guidance.


    The Qi within his body started circulating on its own, cycling around his body, stimulating his acupoints.


    Dong! Dong! Dong¡ª


    It felt as though someone was hitting the drum with sounds that moved heaven and earth.


    Zhao Mu could hear the loud sounds in his ears. Following that, it was as though he had broken through some form of barrier.


    The sound of ants and falling leaves were clearly picked up by his ears.


    His nose had also picked up smells of cedar wood, charcoal, and the burning clothes.


    Zhao Mu followed the mantra and stuck his tongue to the roof of his mouth while he salivated.


    Like streams of spiritual spring, his vitality and strength grew.


    ¡°Mouth, nose, ears, eyes¡­all nine apertures unblocked in an instant! This is truly a technique at the divine art level!¡±


    After circulating it for one cycle, Zhao Mu suddenly opened his eyes.


    Within the pitch black room, a flash of bright light seemed to appear like lightning.


    He broke through once more.


    Third Mortal Stage.

 Chapter 8

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The next day¡­


    Hanging Arch Palace.


    That was where the Emperor of Zhou managed his daily duties and met with his officials.


    Marquis Zhao Kai sat on the rosewood chair. He had a purple crown atop his head and wore a crimson robe with a Shanxuan jade1 pendant by his waist.


    That was supposed to be the dress code for a civil court official. However, due to his huge stature, it made him look especially imposing.


    Seated in the hall, he was like the towering mountain that supported the heavens.


    He gave off an air of authority, as though life and death were within his control.


    ¡°Your fist intent is growing stronger, striking fear into all who bear witness to it!¡±


    Seated in the main seat, the Emperor of Zhou put down his brush that was used to process documents.


    ¡°It seems the great Zhou Kingdom is going to have another Innate Grandmaster soon. This is wonderful news!¡±


    Marquis Zhao Kai was the brother of the current emperor from a different mother. They were very close.


    With that, he had the special rights to be granted a seat in the palace for discussion of state affairs.


    Everyone knew that Marquis Zhao Kai had little interest in authority and power. He was deeply obsessed with martial arts cultivation.


    He left Tianjing City while he was still a prince to escape from the affairs of the imperial courts and traveled across the Divine Continent¡¯s world of martial arts.


    He met with many hidden experts to learn about martial arts, hoping to confirm his theories.


    20 years later, in the martial arts tournament at Little Mirror Lake, he bested the three great experts from Heavenly Dragon Temple, Cloud Abode, and Chaos Origin Path, gaining great fame.


    On the ranking board that was curated by the Yin Summit Academy, Marquis Zhao Kai ranked 23rd.


    Within the Zhou Kingdom¡¯s borders, that ranked him amongst the top as some that could suppress Tianjing City.


    ¡°The art of physical violence is petty and insignificant. Your Majesty governs the kingdom and manages the nation, educating our people. That¡¯s the truly respectable and humane path!¡± Zhao Kai responded respectfully with his head lowered.


    ¡°Moreover, it¡¯s not easy to achieve the Innate Stage. I¡¯m not fully confident in myself and still waiting for a suitable opportunity.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou chuckled. Compared to the intimidating aura of Marquis Zhao Kai, the one seated on the throne appeared fairly normal.


    He had white hairs running down the sides of his tired face, appearing rather advanced in age.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so reserved. We¡¯re not in the imperial court, nor are we meeting each other as ruler and subject.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou shook his head, then placed his hands on the table and asked softly, ¡°Us brothers haven¡¯t had a good talk for a long time. I miss my younger days where I listened to you talk about the interesting happenings in the world. Several decades had passed in just the blink of an eye.¡±


    Zhao Kai maintained a respectful attitude. He lowered his head and said, ¡°The etiquette between ruler and subjects must be observed!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still as obstinate as ever. Never mind, forget it.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou smiled helplessly, then pointed at Marquis Zhao Kai who was seated below him, and changed the topic.


    ¡°Last night, that phenomenon¡­did you see it?¡±


    ¡°I saw the phenomenon manifesting and covering the imperial city right as I left the Hanging Arch Palace,¡± Zhao Kai nodded and replied solemnly.


    ¡°I originally thought it was the Crown Prince that broke through his Foundation Establishment Stage and manifested the innate root bone. I only realized that it was not the case later on.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou frowned deeply. The grand phenomenon of Vast Expanse with Sun and Moon not only attracted the attention of the imperial city. Its news had also reached the various sects within the Zhou Kingdom borders.


    ¡°It¡¯s not Zhao¡¯er. I¡¯ve sent people to investigate the matter. He¡¯s still in the Qi circulation stage and has yet to reach Foundation Establishment,¡± The Emperor of Zhou shook his head.


    The Crown Prince Zhao Zhao¡¯s body was invaded by evil Qi when he was young. It damaged his foundations and caused him many delays in his progress in the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Zhao Kai remained silent. Since ancient times, only the emperor showed signs involving the sun and moon.


    Last night, within the imperial city¡­


    Vast expanses of land were illuminated by the sun and moon.


    Unless one had a high position and the ambition to take over the world, it would be impossible to manifest such a grand phenomenon.


    For a phenomenon like that to happen while the emperor was in power, the matter needs to be investigated.


    ¡°I¡¯ve ordered Chaoen to investigate the matter! That person must be found!¡±


    In the rare instances where the Emperor of Zhou let loose his intimidating aura, the entire hall¡¯s atmosphere turned heavy in an instant.


    Although he was not an expert in martial arts, he was blessed with the fate of an entire country, the Imperial Dragon Qi.


    His every move exuded the majesty of a ruler that governed the world!


    ¡°Cheng¡¯er, Marquis Yang Kezhong, and the 50 thousand troops at the border¡­ We can¡¯t let their deaths be in vain!¡±


    After a moment¡¯s silence, the Emperor of Zhou continued, ¡°However, that damned baldy from the Great Boundless Palace is too difficult to deal with. There are very few people in this world that are capable of going against him!¡±


    The Fifth Prince Zhao Cheng lost his life at Yongxue Pass.


    That matter sent the emperor into fits of rage, causing him to break several inkstones.


    Zhao Kai voiced his agreement with a solemn expression, ¡°Phags-pa cultivated the divine art of a secret sect and had entered the Innate Grandmaster Stage ten years ago. In the Yin Summit Academy¡¯s monthly assessment, he was acknowledged as the most likely candidate to enter the Human Immortal Stage!


    ¡°This man has mastered astrology, Feng Shui, and has some basic understanding of the Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism of Central Plain1.


    ¡°The Yuanmeng Empire bestowed him with the title of Imperial Preceptor. He¡¯s recognized as the living Buddha, perceived above all except the king.¡±


    Hearing Zhao Kai¡¯s words, the Emperor of Zhou sighed.


    In recent years, the Yuanmeng Empire had been growing stronger, with the Great Boundless Sect and Imperial Preceptor Phags-pa assisting him.


    The fearsome wolf riders were an annoyance due to their frequent harassment of the borders.


    This time, they even took over Yongxue Pass.


    If they moved any lower, the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun would be in great danger.


    ¡°Your Majesty, if I manage to reach the stage of Innate Grandmaster, I¡¯ll surely head to Yuanmeng to challenge the Living Buddha Imperial Preceptor to a duel and help the kingdom alleviate this threat.¡±


    Zhao Kai¡¯s face started emanating a strong killing intent.


    His condensed mental energy seeped out of his body. For an instant, it sounded like the thunderous roars of iron chariots and thousands of arrows being fired.


    It immediately turned the Hanging Arch Palace into a field of bloodshed and carnage.


    ¡°It¡¯s good enough that you have such intentions,¡± the Emperor of Zhou said in a grateful tone.


    He had the fate of the kingdom, the Imperial Dragon Qi with him.


    He was not afraid of the martial will of some expert of the Spiritual Transformation Stage.


    ¡°I heard the imperial tutor pushed for war. He suggested to use all the kingdom¡¯s power and strike straight to their heart, wiping that entire empire on the plain into nothingness.¡±


    The bickering on the imperial court caused the Emperor of Zhou a lot of headaches.


    ¡°Since the beginning of the Jin Dynasty, the Rong tribe, the Huns, and the other barbarians had been threatening the dominion of the Central Plain. Later on, the famous General Li Qi from the Yun Dynasty mobilized 30 thousand chariots and 400 thousand infantry to destroy the palace of the Huns, leaving them scared to venture southward for over a decade.


    ¡°The right chief minister1 thinks that even an unrivaled general like Li Qi could only intimidate the Huns from expanding southwards. It¡¯s almost impossible to fully wipe them out.


    ¡°It¡¯s been two hundred years since the founding of our Zhou Kingdom. If we utilized the resources of three generations and put in everything to mobilize our army, can this threat be removed?¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou¡¯s tone was filled with skepticism when he said those words.


    The previous dynasty¡¯s downfall was due to them engaging in wars too readily.


    After several major losses, it resulted in the suffering of its people, leading to a rebellion.


    With such an example placed before them, the Emperor of Zhou was unwilling to repeat the same mistake.


    Zhao Kai¡¯s eyes flashed. Knowing that His Majesty already had the intention for a peace treaty, he stopped pushing the matter. Instead, he asked, ¡°Then the Fifth Prince¡­¡±


    The emperor waved, then said in a weary tone, ¡°Since the birth of that cursed child, I¡¯ve lost several sons in a row. My heart has long gone numb.¡±


    Zhao Kai was speechless.


    Cursed child.


    He should be referring to the Tenth Prince who was imprisoned in the cold palace.


    ¡°Although the heavens decide on a person¡¯s fate, we can¡¯t fully believe in that,¡± Zhao Kai advised.


    ¡°These days, rumors regarding the Tenth Prince are being circulated all over Tianjing City. I recommend investigating this matter and punishing them severely to clear the Tenth Prince¡¯s name!¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou laughed coldly upon hearing that, then asked, ¡°Clear his name? How much trouble did that cursed child cause? My third, sixth, and fifth sons¡­ All of them died in vain! The Crown Prince even had his body tainted by evil Qi, harming his foundation causing all the delay for him to establish his Dao foundation!¡±


    ¡°If not for him being my flesh and blood, I¡¯d have long¡ª¡±


    Zhao Kai quickly cut him off, ¡°Your Majesty, speak carefully!¡±


    As the emperor, leader of officials, he had to educate his subject and be a role model.


    How could he say something so crazy such as killing one¡¯s child that went against one¡¯s morals?


    ¡°Forget it. Sometime later, I¡¯ll have that cursed child go watch over the imperial tomb in Tong Province. I¡¯ll feel better not seeing him!¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou waved his hand, declaring it with waning interest.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    Zhao Kai got up and bowed respectfully before leaving.


    Walking out of the Hanging Arch Palace, he stood on its steps.


    He looked in the direction of Jingren Palace, a hint of doubt flashed in his gaze.


    ¡°Who could it be?¡±


    ¡­


    Eternal Happiness Palace.


    Zhao Mu, who absorbed martial arts experience and cultivated Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures, stood in the yard.


    His nine apertures were unblocked and greatly benefited his senses.


    He could hear the sounds of insects, see tiny objects, and detect what used to be odorless scents within a distance of several dozen feet around him.


    A regular person¡¯s movements and changes of expressions could not escape Zhao Mu¡¯s senses.


    ¡°The cicada is conscious before the winds of Fall move. The executioner might be coming without notice¡­ Now that I¡¯m at the Unblocking Aperture Stage, my senses are keen. Poison and hidden weapons are ineffective.¡±


    Zhao Mu gained a new insight.


    No wonder an Innate Grandmaster could act unhindered and disregard imperial laws.


    At that stage, avoiding threats would already be part of one¡¯s nature.


    Ambushing with an army and setting traps would be impossible!


    ¡°The apertures are unblocked, but the body still has eighty-one acupoints that need to be refined. After that, internal energy will transform into true Qi.¡±


    Zhao Mu was not in a rush. He silently set up his cultivation plans.


    With his infamy as the cursed child, not only the emperor was irritated by him, even the eunuchs and maids in the palace would stay away from him, as though trying to escape from a plague.


    Only his brother Zhao Yuan, was willing to approach him.


    Perhaps it was because of the 12 years he spent in the cold palace, Zhao Mu was used to being alone.


    Compared to a lively and welcoming crowd, he instead loved to stay by himself, practice martial arts, read books, and write.


    Before he gained his freedom, the Tenth Prince wished for the situation to remain the same.


    Undisturbed and at peace.


    ¡ª

 Chapter 9

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    In the blink of an eye, another half a month went by.


    Zhao Mu¡¯s daily routine was to imprint his Dao mark and acquire foreign items.


    He had already collected several bottles of Qi condensing elixirs, meridien nurturing elixirs, and the likes.


    Meanwhile, materialistic things like gold and silver were in abundance.


    The Eternal Happiness Palace was too desolate, leaving him only a few places to sign in.


    Apart from elixirs, gold, and silver, there was nothing else.


    Even the special abilities he obtained some time ago did not appear anymore.


    However, after acquiring the aperture unblocking art, Zhao Mu was content.


    Condensing true Qi and breaking through cultivation stages went on without a hitch.


    That day, he was alone in the meditation chamber.


    His body leaned into the wooden armchair and placed both hands on by the side.


    With a straight back, he breathed evenly as though he was taking a nap.


    Although it seemed perfectly relaxed, he was making internal adjustments.


    His entire body¡¯s muscles were like a mesh of steel fibers, slowly intertwining into a strong force.


    With almost 60 years of internal energy running through his body, the acupoints on his body were opened one after another, being refined.


    ¡°Done.¡±


    15 minutes later, Zhao Mu let out a deep breath.


    With the rush of Qi, his slightly flushed face quickly returned to its normal state.


    At that point, the nine external apertures and 81 internal acupoints were unblocked.


    The joins and acupoints were fully opened.


    What remained was for his Qi to transform into true Qi. It was the tedious process of nurturing one¡¯s body.


    ¡°Cultivation is like climbing a mountain. The higher it gets, the harder it is,¡± Zhao Mu lamented.


    He used one night to form the shape, but 10 days to temper his body to completion.


    As of then, it took him half a month to achieve the Unblocking Aperture Stage.


    How much time would it take for the following stages of the 10 Mortal Stages?


    ¡°True Qi is the vitality of the human body. Compared to internal energy, it¡¯s on a higher level.¡±


    Zhao Mu felt it with his heart.


    He fused the ¡®education¡¯ he received from Hu Rulie and the theories presented by Monk Yuankong and came to a conclusion.


    Internal energy was just a formless Qi that traveled along the meridians. It could stimulate the human body and bring out its potential.


    It was not an innate thing, but rather something acquired.


    Fundamentally, Qi would connect the meridians, then using breathing methods to utilize the strength in one¡¯s body, turning Qi into a force, and from there, creating all sorts of miraculous results.


    For example, cutting others with a petal, or hitting an opponent over long distances.


    One could also go the path of endurance training, covering one¡¯s body with energy, resulting in an iron-like body that would be resistant to blades.


    All in all, internal energy was a fusion of Qi and force.


    A fusion of internal Qi and physical force.


    It could increase someone¡¯s strength, lighten the body, and increase one¡¯s speed.


    Meanwhile, true Qi was different.


    It was an innate Qi, the essence of one¡¯s life.


    It originates from the sea of Qi within one¡¯s dantian, also known as the foundation of life. It was where the essence, Qi, and soul reside.


    Once the true Qi is formed, its essence would nurture one¡¯s vitality and prolong one¡¯s lifespan to 120 years.


    ¡®Unblock the apertures and acupoints within the body, then transform the internal energy into true Qi. With that, this stage is complete.¡¯


    Zhao Mu frowned slightly, as though in deep thoughts.


    To cultivate Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures, one had to manifest two distinctive Qi.


    One was the Primordial Yang Qi, and the other the Mysterious Yin Qi.


    The former would be strong and firm, capable of refining a pure Yang physique.


    The latter would be extremely dark and cold. Yin was born from the end of Yang, creating an endless cycle.


    With both complementing each other, his true Qi would be endlessly generating.


    ¡°As expected of a divine art level martial art. A combination of Yin and Yang, forming a circuit of its own, cycling around the body.¡±


    Zhao Mu concluded.


    After refining both Yin and Yang Qi, even without considering its quality, the miraculous attribute of its endlessness was sufficient to show its power.


    At least he would no longer need to worry about being stuck in a group fight and run of true Qi.


    During that time, the more he studied the Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures, the more he lamented the grandeur of martial arts and the wonders of a human body.


    ¡®The first step, transforming internal energy to form true Qi.¡¯


    Zhao Mu thought internally to start from the Primordial Yang Qi. He would start with forming a shred of true Qi before worrying about anything else.


    ¡­


    The Eastern Palace¡­


    Within a warm chamber, a gentle young man was lying comfortably on a huge and soft bed.


    He was wearing a black fox fur coat with sea dragon patterns along its edges that were both stunning and gave off an air of nobility.


    However, his appearance was overly mundane and lacked some flair.


    The two maids beside the soft bed were each holding onto the handle of a small and elegant three-legged bronze incense burner. Within them were Rui Charcoal sent as tribute from the small kingdom of Western Liang.


    It was bluish-green and tough as iron. When burnt, it glowed without producing any flames.


    According to the records, each Rui Charcoal piece was over a foot long and could burn for 10 days. Its heat would also make it unapproachable.


    It was something limited to the use of nobilities within the inner sanctum of the imperial city.


    ¡°Regarding that miraculous phenomenon with wide expanse, and the sun and moon sharing the same sky, is there any news from the Hanging Arch Palace?¡±


    The young man asked nonchalantly in a lazy tone.


    The warm chamber had heating tunnels built under it and bronze burners Rui Charcoal. One would not sense the slightest hint of chill in there.


    However, after sitting in it for some time, one would inadvertently feel sleepy.


    ¡°High Majesty invited Marquis Zhao Kai and Astronomer Yuan Li to his court, but they don¡¯t seem to have any clue,¡± replied an old eunuch with a hoarse voice.


    ¡°Even the imperial astronomer couldn¡¯t figure it out?¡±


    The young man was slightly surprised. He waved the maids around him away.


    Yuan Li was the chief imperial astronomer that helped the Zhou Kingdom calculate the course of the country and make divination for the imperial family.


    Whenever there were warfare or ceremonies, he would be the one in charge.


    Apart from his cultivation at the Spiritual Transformation Stage, he was also proficient in the art of aura divination.


    He was truly a talented person.


    ¡°Eunuch Chen led a team to search the inner districts of the imperial city but couldn¡¯t find anything.¡±


    The old eunuch was well informed and reported honestly.


    ¡°Eunuch Shen, do you think there¡¯s something amiss?¡±


    The young man sat upright, seemingly growing interested.


    ¡°What could hide from Father¡¯s knowledge within the inner district of the imperial city? That phenomenon was so grand and majestic. It surely has something to do with the imperial family.


    ¡°However, why would Father go through the trouble of summoning Marquis Zhao Kai, the imperial astronomer, and have Chen Chaoen that old¡­search the imperial city, yet found nothing. It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    The young man spoke in an unrestrained manner, talking about those people in such a brazen manner.


    It could only be the owner of the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince of Zhou Kingdom himself.


    ¡°Your Highness, are you trying to say that His Majesty knows about the source of that phenomenon, but is trying to keep quiet about it?¡±


    The old eunuch known as Eunuch Shen asked in confusion.


    That man was like an old withered tree. His skinny body propping up the purple robe around him.


    His movements seemed so hollow that he looked like a ghost whose feet did not touch the ground.


    ¡°I heard my mother mention that during the founding of Zhou Kingdom, to assure the throne is blessed, our great ancestors secretly formed a group of Dragon Guardians to search for the martial arts of each sect, hoping to nurture their own experts. It was to prevent the various sects and sacred grounds from threatening us and maintaining imperial order within the kingdom.


    When speaking of the taboo topic, the young man subconsciously lowered his voice.


    ¡°Fifty years ago, the master of Phags-pa, Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s previous living Buddha, Master Zhizhu, brought the eight divisions of Great Boundless Palace and attacked us all the way to Tianjing City¡¯s walls. Even the Heavenly Dragon Temple¡¯s monk could not hold them back. In the end, he was stopped by an unknown Innate Grandmaster¡­ To date, this secret is known to few.¡±


    ¡°Eunuch Shen, do you think that person might be the one who triggered the phenomenon?¡±


    The old eunuch¡¯s eyes twitched, then bowed. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°Phags-pa from the Yuanmeng Empire is ranked fifth on the ranking board. His martial arts is at an unfathomable level.


    ¡°Not long ago, the wolf riders of the plains once again attacked our borders. The Fifth Prince and Marquis Yang Kezhong lost their lives at Yongxue Pass¡­ If the Zhou Kingdom starts a war, I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t bear the cost. However, if we signed an alliance treaty just like that, it would make us look bad and be looked down upon by the other nations.¡±


    The young man nodded, then said, ¡°That¡¯s why Father made such a huge scene! One is to have the Yuanmeng Empire know that we¡¯re not to be taken lightly. As for the other reason¡­perhaps he¡¯s trying to put me and Little Nine in place.¡±


    The old eunuch thought that it was reasonable and nodded in agreement.


    The young man touched the jade thumb ring and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve just only told the Household Administration of Crown Prince1 and Teacher Yuan that the imperial court won¡¯t easily declare war. We have the downfall of the previous dynasty as an example. The Zhou Kingdom can¡¯t repeat its mistakes.


    ¡°Moreover, Phags-pa is one of the few Innate Grandmasters in the world, only one step away from being a Human Immortal.


    ¡°With him guarding over the Great Boundless Palace and leading the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s various divisions in the plains, even if the Zhou Kingdom put in everything, it might not have much of an impact.¡±


    Eunuch Shen sighed, lamenting, ¡°Your Highness has such great wisdom and ambitions, yet is unable to utilize them.¡±


    ¡°The rich families, sacred grounds, and sects have plenty of experts, especially the Six Sacred Grounds of the Divine Continent. They each have their own Innate Grandmaster to guard over their sects, giving them the galls to go against the imperial law and ignore the rulings of the imperial court.¡±


    The young man¡¯s brows carried a hint of worry as he agreed, ¡°The further one goes on the path of martial arts, the more one understands the terror of an Innate Grandmaster.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m unable to establish my foundation after all this time, unable to manifest my innate root bone. This is as far as I¡¯ll go for in this life.¡±


    ¡°If I had the talent for martial arts and a rare physique to be the first martial arts based emperor, I¡¯d suppress the rich families, destroy the sacred grounds! How great would that be?!¡±


    Eunuch Shen quickly shut up, unwilling to destroy the wonderful dreams of his master.


    Using his own strength, and the strength of the nation to subdue the entire Divine Continent!


    Through the times, when will such a chosen one be born?


    ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s drop the topic.¡±


    The young man waved, then walked up to the door of the warming chamber. He looked in the direction of Eternal Happiness Palace.


    ¡°I heard that Father is planning to send that cursed child to Tong Province to watch over the tomb? He sure got away easy!¡±


    Eunuch Shen remained silent. He knew the Crown Prince hated his brother in the cold palace.


    It was because of the birth of the Tenth Prince that the Crown Prince¡¯s body was infected with evil Qi for no reason, causing him to be unconscious for ten full days.


    If not for Astronomer Yuan Li saving his life, he would most likely be dead.


    He cared for things related to him, but at the same time, also deeply hated things that harmed him.


    ¡°That cursed child sure is hardy, managing to survive fifteen years in the cold palace.¡±


    The young man seemed to have thought of something and snickered, ¡°That Eternal Happiness Palace was the Eastern Palace of the Crown Prince from that fallen dynasty. It was burnt down one night with several hundred dead and injured, then later abandoned¡­¡±


    ¡°When the imperial astronomer supervised the construction of the imperial city, he once said that the place was filled with heavy killing intent that could eat away at one¡¯s bones, making it uninhabitable. That¡¯s why previous generations of emperors did not rebuild that section for use.¡±


    Eunuch Shen¡¯s murky eyes looked around as his heart trembled.


    If he understood the Crown Prince¡¯s words correctly, the reason His Majesty sent the Tenth Prince to the cold palace was to leave him to his fate.


    ¡°It¡¯s too bad that the cursed child¡¯s life force is so great, having managed to survive that.¡±


    The young man lamented while shaking his head, ¡°However, with the cold Qi seeping into his bone, his road in martial arts is sealed. He¡¯s as good as a cripple for the rest of his life.¡±


    Thinking about Zhao Mu¡¯s pitiful imprisonment in the cold palace for 15 years, he did not even feel like suppressing or humiliating him.


    Why would a noble like himself bother stepping on a dirty mud puddle?


    ¡°Now that Old Five is gone, only Little Nine can compete with me.¡±


    The young man looked over the imperial city, the fires of his ambitions burning fiercely in his eyes.


    The vast territory of the Zhou Kingdom was destined to be his.


    ¡ª

 Chapter 10

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Winter passed and Spring came. Over a month passed just like that.


    The previous battle at Yongxue Pass that shook Tianjing City had already settled down.


    The right chief minister led a gift envoy and personally headed to Yan Province for the alliance conference.


    Finally, they settled on using Yongxue Pass as the border and both parties were to leave each other be.


    Also, the Yuanmeng Empire was required to return the bodies of Fifth Prince Zhao Cheng and Marquis Yang Kezhong.


    At the same time, they had to provide proper compensation in order to protect the Zhou Kingdom¡¯s dignity.


    Other similar promises were written on the contract.


    ¡°Showing weakness to the enemy. This will eventually lead to more troubles,¡± Zhao Mu lamented softly as he sat in the study.


    Being imprisoned in the cold palace, he did not get much information.


    He only got news of it from those gossipy eunuchs and maids after the alliance conference had ended.


    The Zhou Kingdom had vast territory, placing it at the lead of the four kingdoms, controlling over half of the 49 provinces in the continent.


    Each city and province was won over by the past emperors with the sacrifice of many soldiers and generals.


    Although losing Yongxue Pass might not seem much, without it, the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun would be exposed to the baring fangs of the Yuanmeng Empire.


    If that natural barrier was lost, then the wolf riders from the Yuanmeng Empire would be able to ride right through and sweep across the Central Plains.


    That was why the Yongxue Pass should be in the Zhou Kingdom¡¯s control no matter the price.


    Unfortunately, despite being stronger than the other party, they could not regain what was lost from the battle with negotiations.


    ¡°The Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun is a natural barrier, situated between Yanran Mountain Range and Beixing Mountain Range with sixteen fortresses guarding over them, forming an indomitable line of defense.¡±


    Zhao Mu had read many geographical records and naturally understood the importance of Yongxue Pass.


    ¡°No wonder I heard that Imperial Tutor Wen Yan cursed aloud in anger.¡±


    Within the imperial city, several types of people were in abundance.


    Eunuchs, busybodies, and women.


    Whenever news got out, it would seemingly take on wings and fly to the various parts of the inner court.


    Even a desolate place like the Eternal Happiness Palace would hear of such news.


    Imperial Tutor Wen Yan, who had always been an upright person and was strict with etiquette lashed out verbally at the right chief minister in the imperial court the previous day. He claimed that the Yan Province conference was a humiliation to the nation while stripping its rights.


    The right chief minister who signed the deal could not even make up for his sins by dying 10,000 times over.


    The court ministers and military generals were also caught in a messy debate.


    It was one of the rare instances where the Emperor of Zhou got angry and walked away.


    ¡°The Zhou Kingdom had only been founded for less than two hundred years. The people in each province and districts can¡¯t even fill their stomachs. Moreover, the rich families joined their lands and various sects ruled over their own territory. It¡¯s really lawless.¡±


    When Zhao Mu had nothing to do, he would analyze the power play within the continent and the politics of the imperial court.


    It was not because of his interest in the throne, but more for killing time and as mental exercise.


    It was just like him surfing the internet when he was bored in his previous life.


    ¡°I think the emperor must be feeling helpless too. He has empty ambitions, but lacks actual power to support them.¡±


    From his father¡¯s standpoint, Zhao Mu could understand why he signed the Yan Province Treaty.


    Although there were the three main sects of Heavenly Dragon Temple, Cloud Abode, and the Origin Chaos Path within the Zhou Kingdom, the emperor could not move those martial arts experts to serve the imperial court for nothing.


    Faced with the Yuanmeng Empire and the Great Boundless Palace¡¯s Phags-pa supporting them, the Zhou Kingdom could only back away.


    Moreover, the workings of the world was not up to the Emperor of Zhou¡¯s decision alone.


    Wang of Langya, Cui of Qinghe, Lu of Fanyang, and Xia of Chen Commandery.


    The four great families had endured several dynasties yet remained standing.


    Each of them having untold wealth and their people spread across provinces and districts.


    When the Zhou Kingdom was founded, there were even rumors of Wang and Zhao sharing the world.


    One could see how far reaching and deeply rooted the powers of these rich families.


    ¡°I more or less understand why the previous dynasties never produced a martial emperor.¡±


    He fell deeper in thoughts. An hour later, Zhao Mu suddenly snapped to attention.


    Being the emperor and having access to limitless resources and secret techniques, why was it difficult to even find an emperor in the various dynasties who reached the Spiritual Transformation Expert of the eighth Mortal Stage?


    Governing a nation was like cooking. It took too much time and effort.


    Martial arts required extreme focus. Once distracted, it would be difficult to have any progress.


    ¡°In conclusion, I should still train in martial arts.¡±


    His mind got distracted for some time before Zhao Mu quickly reorganized his thoughts.


    200 years after the founding of Zhou Kingdom, it had gone through three generations of emperors.


    Even if they suffered one defeat, the accumulated power and wealth was still there. It would not go down anytime soon.


    Even if the Yuanmeng Empire united the great plains coupled with the suppression from Phags-pa of the Great Boundless Palace, the Central Plain still had the Ten Great Sects and Six Sacred Grounds. How could they let the outsiders do as they like?


    ¡°If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it.¡±


    Zhao Mu made a full Qi cycle. Pure internal energy flowed through his entire body.


    After passing through each aperture and acupoints, it turned into a strand of silk-like true Qi.


    Several months passed, and he had been cultivating hard every day.


    Physical practice, breathing technique, and nurturing the body.


    Strength training, Qi circulation, and internal energy transformation.


    Zhao Mu did not turn lazy just because of the mysterious stone dial¡¯s imprinting of Dao marks.


    After being in the cold palace for 12 long years, he was almost driven crazy by the boredom.


    After finally finding a goal to work for, he naturally became extra hard working.


    ¡°What a pain. Why am I accumulating more and more internal energy?¡±


    After completing a few complete Qi cycles, Zhao Mu¡¯s face turned slightly worried.


    For several months, he had imprinted his Dao mark daily to sign in, and would gain elixirs to boost his power.


    Occasionally, he would get lucky and obtain five to ten years worth of internal energy infusion.


    Zhao Mu sighed, then focused his attention.


    The mysterious stone dial trembled slightly and gave out lines of texts.


    [Zhao Mu]


    [Two hundred years of internal energy.]


    [Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist, Presence Concealment Mantra, Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures.]


    ¡°Two hundred years of internal energy. How much time will I need to convert all of them into true Qi?¡±


    Zhao Mu lamented helplessly. When others cultivated, they would wish for a stronger internal energy reserve.


    However, in his situation, that same wonderful thing brought him headaches instead.


    200 years of pure internal energy. If he converted them all into Primordial Yang Qi, it would take him several months at his current progress.


    ¡°Too much accumulation is also another trouble.¡±


    Zhao Mu uttered those elitist words that would incite jealousy and hate in others in a casual tone.


    He put two fingers together and rubbed lightly.


    Whoosh!


    A thread of fire shot out from there!


    The candle placed on the study table lit up.


    ¡°Is this the power of true Qi? Using innate essence to cultivate various martial arts with different properties, then manifest the power of the five elements, controlling fire, water, wind, and thunder¡­ This is truly powerful!¡±


    Zhao Mu had already condensed several dozen of silk-like Primordial Yang Qi. It was strong and ferocious, just like a strong flame, burning everything it touches.


    If a regular body touched even the slightest bit of it, it might turn into a human bonfire.


    ¡°This Divine Sun and Moon Scripture is living up to its name as a divine art. I¡¯m only at the third Mortal Stage of Unblocking Aperture Stage. After cultivating the Primordial Yang Qi, I¡¯m actually able to release my true Qi outward to cause harm like a Qi Refinement Expert at the sixth Mortal Stage.¡±


    Zhao Mu nodded in satisfaction.


    That meager thread could only light up candles and charcoal. Its use was limited.


    However, after he converted the 200 years of internal energy into Primordial Yang Qi, things would be different.


    Within the Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures, there are the Flame Blade, Flame Arrows, Divine Flame Shield, and other moves.


    As long as one understood the method to utilize true Qi, then one could form all sorts of weapons from it.


    Furthermore, with the extremely domineering Primordial Yang Qi, any true Qi of a lower quality would be burnt away upon contact and burn through the opponent¡¯s internal organs. It would be extremely advantageous in a fight.


    ¡°Your Highness, Eunuch Gao is here.¡±


    Zhao Mu suddenly detected a series of footsteps while he was studying and experiencing the essence and wonder of the true Qi circulation.


    He immediately recited the mantra silently, ¡°Conceal all presence, let the mind be still.¡± It calmed the internal energy within him and concealed the fiery Qi around his body.


    Moments later, an old eunuch ran up to him and said while breathing laboriously, ¡°There¡¯s an imperial decree!¡±

 Chapter 11

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Imperial decree?¡±


    Zhao Mu understood that it might be the Emperor of Zhou planning to send him off to Tong Province to watch over the imperial tomb.


    The title of a cursed child had stuck to him.


    Keeping him in the imperial city was just to keep an eye on him to not cause further problems.


    After that many years, Zhao Mu had behaved himself and stayed within the cold palace.


    He did not cultivate martial arts, nor did he show any strange behavior.


    They might say that a person could keep in hiding for three, five, or even ten years.


    However, 15 years had passed.


    Even if he kept up the appearance, being like that in the long term might just turn him into a true cripple.


    Instead of having him as an eyesore, it was better off to send him to the imperial tomb.


    It was no different from the cold palace, with many miles of forest around it.


    He was only allowed to enter and not exit, just like a cage.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a bigger cold palace.¡±


    Zhao Mu chuckled as he shook his head in self-deprecation.


    ¡°The imperial city is huge, but it seems there¡¯s no place for me.¡±


    With that mindset, he put on a calm expression.


    With his head held high, he walked out of the study.


    The old eunuch that delivered the message watched the Tenth Prince¡¯s acceptance and could not help but sigh internally.


    If a person¡¯s fate was terrible, even being born into a good family was of no use.


    Just like the Tenth Prince, being a descendant of the emperor, yet his life was not even comparable to the commoners beyond the imperial city.


    The cold palace was quiet and cold.


    Staying there was no different than being imprisoned in the palace prison cells.


    One should know that only servants without any background or backers that committed crimes would be sent to the cold palace to serve.


    Even if they had the slightest ability, they would not take such a punishment.


    ¡®Accept your fate.¡¯


    The old eunuch ended his internal lamentations and followed behind the Tenth Prince.


    ¡­


    Zhao Mu did not know what the servants in the palace thought.


    Even if he noticed them, he would not care.


    The pity, sympathy, or ridicule of outsiders would not move his ambitions.


    There was a quote in Huo Rulie¡¯s martial experience that he agreed with greatly.


    Control one¡¯s fate! Subdue the world with one¡¯s fists!


    As long as he was strong enough, he would be able to turn his fate and rewrite his destiny!


    The world was claiming that nine out of ten would be met with tragedy, and he was the flood dragon swallowing the python.


    If that was the case, he might as well show them how this flood dragon trapped in shallow waters would break free of its shackles and soar to the skies!


    Zhao Mu¡¯s eyes had a determined look to them as he walked out of there.


    Perhaps his sudden resolve was coincidentally resonating with the phrase of ¡°Sun and Moon arise together when the emperor approaches¡± found within the Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures. All of a sudden, the Primordial Yang Qi that was hidden within his acupoints started moving around his body like a small snake.


    After cycling through his body for several cycles, it went back into a dormant state.


    However, the true Qi within him increased in purity.


    It was as though the true Qi went through a refining process to remove its impurities.


    ¡°Your Highness, please listen to the Emperor¡¯s decree.¡±


    Zhao Mu arrived at the Longevity Hall and saw a eunuch dressed in purple robes standing in the middle.


    Within the imperial city, even eunuchs had rankings.


    As to how they were categorized, it was all in the color of their robes.


    Grey was the lowest rank for those that were new to the palace, mostly doing random chores.


    Blue was for those in charge of running the various services such as tea, dining, and meat storage.


    Meanwhile, purple was for the chief eunuch of the 12 Directorates of the inner court with great power. Even the left and right chief ministers would have to treat them politely.


    Lastly, the scarlet robe was the eunuch that served as the emperor¡¯s confidant.


    ¡°Greetings, Eunuch Gao.¡±


    Zhao Mu lifted his hands and greeted him with a slight bow as he waited for the imperial decree to be announced.


    That eunuch from the Credentials Directorate had a chubby face with a gentle smile and looked rather amicable.


    Eunuch Gao nodded and raised his hand to return the greeting.


    He did not look down on Zhao Mu just because he was imprisoned in the cold palace and banished from meeting the emperor.


    No matter how pitiful the situation was, Zhao Mu was still a prince of the Zhou Kingdom. It was not his place as a eunuch to disrespect him.


    ¡°¡­.Your Highness, do you understand?¡±


    After announcing the imperial decree, Eunuch Gao passed over the decree made of brocade and jade.


    Zhao Mu followed suit and received it with both his hands. The Zhou Kingdom did not go by the rule of having to kowtow whenever meeting the emperor.


    Their so-called etiquette rules were more focused on moral adherence and personal character.


    ¡°Understood. In three months, after Father¡¯s birthday, I¡¯ll go along with my Ninth Brother and head to the imperial tomb in Tong Province,¡± Zhao Mu replied as he looked up, greeting once more with both his hands together.


    It was the Emperor of Zhou¡¯s birthday in three months.


    According to their customs, it should be celebrated with everyone and all ministers would be invited to the banquet.


    By that time, the Ninth Prince, who had long been bestowed with the title of Duke and governing his territory outside would be returning to Tianjing City to celebrate with the emperor.


    The Emperor of Zhou planned to send Zhao Mu away after his birthday banquet.


    Zhao Mu was not sent away in secret but allowed to stay back and give the emperor his blessings.


    That was probably the last remaining bit of kinship he had as a father.


    ¡°His Majesty said that during the banquet itself, Your Highness the Tenth Prince will be allowed to temporarily leave the cold palace. However, you¡¯re not allowed to enter the main palace complex and would have to wait in the side hall.¡±


    Eunuch Gao added after reorganizing his thoughts.


    As a prince, he was not allowed to enter the main palace complex and had to wait in the side hall. That was no different from how the servants were treated.


    If outsiders heard it, they would probably feel more sympathy for Zhao Mu.


    ¡°As the emperor commands.¡±


    The young and handsome prince¡¯s lips curled up slightly into what appeared to be a smile.


    Perhaps, to the Emperor of Zhou, that was already the greatest generosity he could be given.


    ¡°Your Highness, do you have anything you¡¯d like me to convey to His Majesty?¡±


    Eunuch Gao¡¯s face had a kind and gentle smile, just like the Smiling Buddha.


    Just like the old eunuch from before, upon seeing the pitiful treatment the Tenth Prince received, he could not help but feel sorry for him.


    His Majesty really disliked this son.


    It could not be helped.


    The Tenth¡¯s Prince had a terrible fate and was a full-fledged cursed child.


    Along with the prince that died in Yongxue Pass, the Tenth Prince had already brought death to three princes in total.


    If the emperor got too close, he might even¡­


    The moment the thought of ¡®bringing tragedy to father and brothers¡¯, Eunuch Gao¡¯s heart skipped a beat and quickly dispelled such insolent thoughts from his mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s fi¡­Can Eunuch Gao please help me pass a message? Before I leave, can my Eleventh Brother come by the Eternal Happiness Palace for a few more visits?¡±


    Zhao Mu had nothing to say at first, but suddenly he thought of his brother Zhao Yuan, whom he would only meet once every six months. He then added, ¡°After I head to the imperial tomb in Tong Province, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll never be able to meet my Eleventh Brother again. Please have my father grant his permission.¡±


    Eunuch Gao nodded, then returned a greeting with his hands as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to deliver the message.¡±


    The brothers born from the same mother were very close and found it difficult to part. It was only normal.


    ¡°Thank you, Eunuch Gao.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s expression was calm. His gaze was still like the water of a well, showing not even the slightest ripple.


    That calmness managed to make Eunuch Gao feel a sense of respect.


    He had served in the imperial city inner court for many years, serving the emperor and announcing imperial decrees, meeting many ministers and nobles throughout his life.


    All the consorts chased out of the inner court and exiled nobles would break into tears the moment they learn of their pitiful fate.


    The emperor¡¯s words decided their fates.


    Who would not feel fear and terror?


    ¡®Your Highness, you have great character.¡¯


    Eunuch Gao praised him internally.


    At the same time, his sympathy for Zhao Mu grew.


    If not for the fortune-telling of the imperial astronomer, the Tenth Prince¡¯s status might not be any less compared to the other princes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave if there¡¯s nothing else.¡±


    Eunuch Gao remained smiling. Before he left, he surreptitiously glanced at the handsome and outstanding Tenth Prince.


    His appearance seemed to be lacking in Qi. It would seem that the rumors were true. This prince had been staying in the cold palace all the while and suffered from the exposure to cold Qi, leaving behind the root for future health problems.


    Coupled with his lack of practice in martial arts, his body would be weaker than that of a regular person.


    ¡°What a pity,¡± Eunuch Gao lamented while shaking his head after leaving the Eternal Happiness Palace.


    Without the protection of martial arts or some authority, how long could the Tenth Prince endure in Tong Province?


    ¡°At least an expert establishing his Dao foundation at the fifth Mortal Stage.¡±


    After a moment, Zhao Mu returned to his bedchamber and a weird look flashed in his eyes.


    As expected, those around the Emperor of Zhou were all extraordinary.


    A random eunuch from the 12 directorates was already an expert.


    He wondered what martial arts cultivation stage would the famous Chen Chaoen from the Ceremonial Directorate be?


    There were plenty of consorts within the harem. Naturally, men were not allowed to enter as they pleased.


    All emperors of different dynasties would have to select eunuchs to nurture into experts.


    ¡°However, a eunuch lacks the masculine Yang Qi. I¡¯m afraid they will never reach the Innate Stage to become a grandmaster.¡±


    A thought flashed by Zhao Mu¡¯s heart. A eunuch practicing martial arts had its pros and cons.


    Those eunuchs sent into the palace since young would remain a virgin.


    After being castrated, it would lock in the Qi within their body.


    Furthermore, without distracting thoughts, it would be easier for them to breakthrough cultivation stages.


    However, because their innate Qi was damaged, their foundation would be insufficient.


    It would be very difficult for them to reach the stage of ultimate experts in the world.


    ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll have to be more careful when I sneak into the inner court to imprint Dao marks.¡±


    Zhao Mu was caught off guard.


    Even if Huo Rulie¡¯s Presence Concealment Mantra was exceptional, it would not guarantee him from being found out by an expert.


    Experts of the inner court were no joking matter.

 Chapter 12

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Nothing can remain hidden forever.


    Especially within the harem.


    As long as nobody tried to specifically bury a secret, it would eventually spread from the mouth of those loose-lipped eunuchs and maids.


    Just like the news of the Tenth Prince being sent to watch over the imperial tomb in Tong Province.


    In less than half a day, it had already made it around the imperial city.


    It may be interesting to some that everyone had a different reaction to the news.


    However, be it the Crown Prince, the Queen, or those eunuchs with high status in the 12 directorates did not show any hint of surprise.


    They felt that it was reasonable.


    Everyone knew that the emperor did not like the Tenth Prince.


    Putting him in the cold palace instead of the jail cells of the Imperial Clan Court was already being generous.


    Just some time ago, the Fifth Prince died in Yongxue Pass along with Marquis Yang Kezhong and 50 thousand infantries.


    The imperial court could be said to have suffered a huge loss and was greatly humiliated.


    Unfortunately, the Zhou Kingdom did not have sufficient power to declare war against the perpetrator, the Yuanmeng Empire, to restore their dignity.


    Despite having a majority of the voices in court supporting warfare, none could guarantee victory against the wolf riders in the plains.


    After all, under the influence of Phags-pa, the living Buddha of that time, the eight divisions under him were not to be trifled with either.


    Unless the Zhou Kingdom mobilized the three great sects of Heavenly Dragon Temple, Chaos Origin Path, and Cloud Abode to send forth their Innate Grandmasters, the experts within the army could not go against the Great Boundless Palace.


    A few days ago, the Yan Province Treaty¡¯s contents were made public as well.


    Annexing of Yongxue Pass to sign an alliance treaty.


    Such a humiliating gesture sparked heated debates.


    Within Tianjing City, its people were infuriated.


    Quite some students from academies were proclaiming their wish to head to the border and die for the nation, voicing their hopes for the imperial court to send forth an army to take back Yongxue Pass.


    With both external and internal pressure, the merely 200 years old Zhou Kingdom appeared to be quite unstable.


    At such a dangerous time, they had to provide a target for everyone to vent their frustrations.


    Going by their rules, the right chief minister that signed the treaty was a good candidate.


    However, right under their nose, there was an even better candidate.


    ¡°Father¡¯s psychological manipulation as an emperor is truly impressive.¡±


    Within the warm chamber of the Eastern Palace, Crown Prince Zhao Zhao lifted a hand brazier and lamented, ¡°Using the Yan Province Treaty, I managed to win the right chief minister over, remove that eyesore of a cursed child, and placate the frustrations between the imperial court and the people! Amazing, truly amazing!¡±


    The Tenth Prince¡¯s title as a cursed child was long known to everyone.


    If all the blame was put on him and then sent off to Tong Province, it would be a grand happy ending.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid His Majesty had long planned for all this.¡±


    Eunuch Shen, who was all skin and bones, replied with a bow.


    ¡°Yeah. If nobody spread it intentionally, how would a nameless and crippled prince imprisoned deep within the imperial palace be known by everyone?¡±


    The Crown Prince retracted his smile. His eyes did not seem to be happy.


    If his father could throw the cursed child away, then he might face a similar fate in the future if he made a mistake.


    The saying ¡®Staying beside an emperor is like staying beside a tiger¡¯ was right.


    ¡°This imperial family is truly like walking on thin ice. I need to be careful of each step I take.¡±


    The Crown Prince shook his head while lamenting. He had been granted the title of Crown Prince since 11 years old.


    Up to that day, he had been staying in the Eastern Palace for 16 years.


    His father was at the fourth Mortal Stage of Circulation Stage.


    If without illness or calamity, coupled with the life-prolonging medicines in the imperial vault, it would not be a problem for him to live a full 120 years.


    That also meant that he would still be the Crown Prince for decades to come.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what difference is there between me and that cursed child? As long as I don¡¯t ascend to the throne, my fate will forever be in the hands of others.¡±


    The Crown Prince spoke without restraint since there were no outsiders within the warm chamber.


    ¡°Your Highness is completely different from the Tenth Prince as you¡¯re destined to succeed the throne.¡±


    Eunuch Shen was the Crown Prince¡¯s confidant, his companion in the Eastern Palace.


    As for those traitorous words from the Crown Prince and the likes, he would just ignore them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope that¡¯s the case.¡±


    The Crown Prince stopped his crazy thoughts and returned to the topic regarding the Tenth Prince.


    ¡°I heard that everyone within Tianjing City knows about the fortune of his cursed fate that brings harm to father and brothers, that he¡¯s a bringer of calamity.


    ¡°The commoners even have busybodies that claim he¡¯s a reincarnated swallow the flood dragon and python¡­Some random people making up claims and people actually believed it. What a joke.¡±


    The Crown Prince snickered in a sarcastic tone.


    Reincarnated black dragon?


    Swallowing flood dragon and python?


    Who was the flood dragon?


    Who was the python?


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t that mean that cursed child would bring death to all his brothers, then Father¡­and finally take on the throne?¡±


    The Crown Prince gripped the brazier in his hand tightly as his inner strength rumbled.


    The incense and Rui Charcoal within it froze over immediately, turning into a frozen clump.


    ¡°Your Highness¡¯ true Qi is so powerful, condensing frost Qi in an instant! I believe it won¡¯t be long until you complete your foundation establishment and manifest the root bone!¡±


    Eunuch Shen quickly congratulated after taking a glance.


    The Crown Prince had damaged his foundation from a young age and was unable to cultivate the Zhou Kingdom imperial family¡¯s divine art of Sacred Heavenly Scripture.


    With that, he could only go for the next best thing and turned to cultivate the Eight Abyssal Frost of the Yin attribute, which got him stuck in the Foundation Establishment Stage and delayed his progress for five years.


    ¡°It¡¯s still far away. I¡¯ve been taking Qi condensing elixirs and meridian nurturing elixirs, but my true Qi is still lacking slightly, unable to establish my dantian.¡±


    The Crown Prince¡¯s interest was waning. When it came to martial arts, he had never been lazy.


    However, his progress was limited by his talent and lack of foundation.


    Compared to the Fifth Prince who died at Yongxue Pass and the Ninth Prince who was granted the title of duke, he was inferior.


    ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s no need to rush. If the throne is given to whoever that has a higher cultivation stage, then Marquis Zhao Kai would be the reigning emperor instead of His Majesty.¡±


    Eunuch Shen quickly steered the topic in a different direction after reading the atmosphere.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to comfort me like that. Martial arts cultivation has no use when it comes to governing the country. That much I¡¯m sure of.¡±


    The Crown Prince waved his hand, then changed the topic.


    ¡°In three more months, Little nine will be coming to Tianjing City. Knowing him, he will surely prepare a lot of rare treasures as gifts for Father to be in the limelight.


    ¡°Go look for some nice things. I can¡¯t lose to that guy.¡±


    Eunuch Shen bowed slightly and nodded.


    ¡­


    Within the Eternal Happiness Palace, Zhao Yuan strode into Longevity Hall.


    Before he arrived, his voice could already be heard¡ª


    ¡°Brother! Don¡¯t worry!


    ¡°I¡¯ll surely talk to Father and have him keep you in the palace! I¡¯ll go kneel before the Hanging Arch Palace gates tomorrow morning during the court¡­¡±


    Zhao yuan barged into the bedchamber in a hurry with a worried look on his face, just to see his brother relaxed and calm.


    His hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, and wore a white fur coat, looking like some handsome man in times of trouble.


    Zhao Mu stood quietly before the large desk and wrote with a brush.


    His elegant face showed no signs of anxiety.


    Instead, his lips were curled into a smile as he asked, ¡°Where are your princely manners? If Imperial Tutor Wen Yan saw that, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to be beaten again!¡±


    Zhao Yuan¡¯s beautiful face displayed a look of indignation and anger as he bellowed, ¡°It¡¯s an emergency! How can I care about some imperial etiquette and mannerisms?!


    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know that Tong Province¡¯s imperial tomb only allows entries?! Once you go in, it¡¯s almost impossible to leave!


    ¡°Brother, you might still have something to think about if you stay in the Eternal Happiness Palace. If you go there, then it¡¯ll be impossible to turn things around!¡±


    Zhao Mu remained calm, as though ignorant to the severity of the situation.


    The Emperor of Zhou gave him three months to stay. That time frame was sufficient for him to make a trip to most of the places within the imperial city¡¯s inner court.


    Relying on his abundant elixirs and his martial arts of the divine art grade, it would not be a problem for him to take the path of martial arts.


    After that, going to Tong Province to watch over the imperial tomb or elsewhere made no difference.


    Zhao Mu was confident, but he could not explain it to his brother.


    He could only act relaxed while holding onto the brush made from goat hair.


    It moved like a coiling dragon, connecting through all the words!


    After the last stroke, he finally spoke up in a relaxed manner, ¡°Don¡¯t say such things out of anger. Kneeling before the Hanging Arch Palace gates? If you did that, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be sent along with me to Tong Province.


    ¡°The emperor has spoken and his decision shall not be changed. Nobody can make him retract his decree.¡±


    Zhao Yuan¡¯s face was gloomy. He hated himself for having such a low cultivation stage and was unable to protect his brother. He said in frustration, ¡°So what if I¡¯m sent to Tong Province? I¡¯d rather watch over the imperial tomb with you. It¡¯ll be happier than living here!¡±


    Zhao Mu placed the goat hair calligraphy brush on the brush stand. He then shook his head and said, ¡°You speak without care for the consequences. Be careful of eavesdroppers.


    ¡°If this got out and angered His Majesty, then it would be bad.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there still three months? We¡¯ll just take one step at a time.


    ¡°The solution will eventually show itself. It¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    Zhao Yuan¡¯s anger had yet to be pacified. He ignored his brother¡¯s words of comfort.


    His brows frowned tightly as he approached the desk.


    He noticed the lines of words that had yet to dry at the corner of his eyes¡ª


    Remember the lofty ambitions of the younger days where one vowed to be the best in the world!

 Chapter 13

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Remember the lofty ambitions of the younger days where one vowed to be the best in the world¡­¡±


    Zhao Yuan pondered on its meanings. At first glance, it seemed to be passionate and ambitious.


    However, after reading it a few more times, he felt that it was filled with a sense of sadness that welled up in his chest.


    It was supposed to be a lamentation of a middle-aged person having achieved nothing and reminiscing about the past.


    His brother was only at the age of 15, yet his passion had been eaten away into lethargy.


    However, the 15 years of imprisonment in the cold palace were truly unbearable.


    Thinking of that, Zhao Yuan¡¯s eyes started turning red as he could not help but feel sorry.


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±


    Zhao Mu, who was only practicing his calligraphy to kill time, had no idea of his brother¡¯s imaginations.


    After accepting the imperial decree, his lifestyle was just the same as before without any changes.


    Practicing calligraphy and reading every day, then converting true Qi. His routine was regular and productive.


    Due to Zhao Mu¡¯s hard work, the 200 years of internal energy in his body had gone down to just 100 years.


    The Primordial Yang Qi that was flowing through his apertures had grown thicker from the thin silk-like strands in the beginning.


    It was like beads of golden light that covered his entire body.


    Very soon, he would be able to condense a Primordial Yang inner core.


    Three months later, when his Yin Qi reaches completion, then the Yin and Yang Qi would compliment each other and reach perfection.


    When that time comes, his martial arts will reach a new height.


    ¡°Brother, wait for me. I¡¯ll find a solution!¡±


    Zhao Yuan¡¯s face was filled with determination. He still had a Spiritual Transformation Expert master.


    ¡°Why are you bringing this up again?¡±


    Zhao Mu felt helpless.


    If not for the situation not allowing for it, he would not keep it a secret from his brother.


    His cultivation level and the reason behind his miraculous progress in martial arts cultivation were unexplainable.


    Moreover, he was stuck with the fate of a cursed child.


    If Zhao Mu showed any achievements in his cultivation, it might incur the wrath of the emperor and the Crown Prince.


    By that time, he might not even be able to keep his life, much less being sent off to Tong Province for the rest of his life.


    Because of that, Zhao Mu constantly reminded himself to be careful.


    He only wished to cultivate in peace and breakthrough the stages.


    ¡°¡­Brother, your poem is well written, and your handwriting is amazing too! Can you give this to me?!¡±


    Zhao Yuan rubbed his little face and tried to change the topic.


    ¡°Sure, just take it.¡±


    Zhao Mu nodded in agreement.


    Regarding the issue of being sent away, he had long planned for it.


    Due to his abundance of internal energy, he had been stuck at the third Mortal Stage, the Unblocking Aperture Stage for too long.


    In three months, he would convert all the 200 years of internal energy to true Qi, refining them into Primordial Yang Qi and Mysterious Yin Qi.


    After that, he would learn the Flame Blade, Flame Arrow, and other techniques of the kind to fend off enemies.


    By then, he would have some ability for self-preservation.


    Even if he was sent to the imperial tomb in Tong Province, it would not matter much.


    ¡°How¡¯s your martial arts cultivation going?¡±


    Zhao Mu changed the topic.


    He absorbed and familiarized Huo Rulie¡¯s decades of martial arts experience.


    With one glance, he could already tell that his brother had already reached the adept level of Body Tempering.


    Even when placed among the sacred grounds or sects, his progress would be among the top.


    ¡°I¡¯m still trying hard to train my muscles and bones. I can already break three wooden poles and was praised by the royal guard instructor.¡±


    Zhao Yuan seemed proud as he said with his chin lifted.


    The royal guards would soak a thick wooden pole in tung oil and wrap it with burlap to be used as a way to judge one¡¯s strength.


    If one could crack or break a wooden pole barehanded with one¡¯s internal energy, that would symbolize the completion of the Form Shaping Stage and successfully step into the first step of the Mortal Stages.


    Breaking three poles with a single punch.


    By the standard of the second Mortal Stage, it was already considered quite good.


    ¡°Rumbling Thunder Force is an art to train the muscles and temper one¡¯s form. You¡¯re already at the second Mortal Stage of Body Tempering. You should¡¯ve strengthened your bones and internal organs, right?¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s eyes twitched. He planned to pass on the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist to his brother to help him secure a better foundation.


    At least up until that point, he had yet to come across a fundamental martial art that was stronger than that fist technique.


    ¡°The royal guard instructor taught me a set of fist techniques named Elephant Back Piercing Fist. It specifically strengthens the arms, waist joints, and bones. I practice it every day and would only stop when my whole body is sore.¡±


    Zhao Yuan practiced a few moves expertly with punches and kicks.


    The air current rumbled.


    From that, he could see that this little prince¡¯s lower body was steady and his strength course through his waist and back.


    It was not just an empty form.


    ¡°Mm, it seems impressive,¡± Zhao Mu praised.


    He planned to copy down the moves of the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist and place them in the booklet within the library.


    Zhao Yuan would head over again eventually and notice it.


    He believed in Huo Rulie¡¯s knowledge, it would not be difficult for him to recognize the greatness of the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist.


    ¡­


    Time passed by quickly for the meeting between the brothers.


    When the sky turned dark, Zhao Mu was the only one left in the bedchamber.


    It was midnight and the sound of the night patrol on duty could be heard.


    He once again changed his clothes and slipped out of the cold palace.


    That day, he had asked his brother Zhao Yuan and learned of the layout of the inner district of the imperial city.


    Eastern Palace, Queen¡¯s Garden, West Garden, North Garden, Imperial Garden¡­


    Those were the places heavily guarded by the royal guard patrols.


    Whereas Jingren Palace and Eternal Happiness Palace which were closer to the outer circle of the imperial city would have lower security.


    ¡°Truth Monastery¡±


    Zhao Mu confirmed his target.


    That was an imperial daoist monastery that served as a cultivation facility of a princess in the previous dynasty.


    As of then, after being rebuilt, it was used by the consorts from the harem to pray for blessings.


    ¡°It¡¯s not far from the cold palace and has several centuries of history. I should be able to get some good stuff from there.¡±


    In recent days, Zhao Mu¡¯s conversion of internal energy to true Qi caused his appetite to grow continuously.


    The simple meals were totally insufficient to fill his stomach.


    If not for the elixirs he acquired from signing in to supply him with vitality and nutrition, he might have fallen into a pitiful state of stealing food from the kitchen complex.


    If things continued this way, he would eventually be found out to be practicing martial arts.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if I can imprint something useful¡­Fortunately I have this Presence Concealment Mantra, or it¡¯ll be extremely difficult for me to sign in outside.¡±


    Zhao Mu exhaled, feeling that every step was filled with hardship.


    He had grown more and more proficient with that particular weird art.


    He reached the point where he could conceal all the Qi in his acupoints and apertures, causing his entire body to be devoid of the aura of a living human.


    That day, when Eunuch Gao from the Credentials Directorate approached Zhao Mu, he failed to detect any abnormalities.


    That was sufficient proof that the Presence Concealment Mantra was able to fool someone of the fifth Mortal Stage, an expert of the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    As it went deeper into the night, Zhao Mu stealthily left the Eternal Happiness Palace.


    According to the location described by his brother, he made his way quickly in the direction of the Truth Monastery.


    Along the way, he met eunuchs and maids holding onto lanterns as they ran errands for their own masters.


    There were also three alternating royal guard patrol groups consisting of five men in each patrol.


    However, ever since Zhao Mu¡¯s apertures were unblocked, his five senses were extremely sensitive and could easily notice everything within three feet of him.


    It was naturally no issue for him to avoid those people.


    ¡°It¡¯s only a few daoist trainees.¡±


    Zhao Mu snuck into the monastery, vaulted over the outer walls, and saw the grand Purity Hall.


    Within it was a life-like stone sculpture of nine dragons.


    Zhao Mu stood where he was as he felt its spirit.


    Within his mind, the mysterious stone dial shook violently.


    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived at Truth Monastery. Acquired Nine Aperture Golden Elixir!¡±


    ¡°Would you like to imprint?¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s face was in complete shock.


    Why was it another elixir?


    ¡°I was careless.¡±


    After that, he sighed helplessly.


    ¡°I forgot that these daoists would often refine elixirs to nurture Qi and health for the nobles in the harem. The lingering marks would naturally be mostly elixir Qi and herbal Qi.¡±


    200 years of abundant internal energy. He had originally refined one-fifth of them.


    With the addition of the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir, who knew how long that would set him back again!


    Once again, Zhao Mu let out a lamentation that would cause jealousy in others.


    Too much internal energy is also a problem!


    ¡°Imprint.¡±


    For a reward delivered to his doorstep, there was no need to reject it. Zhao Mu nodded slightly.


    He focused his attention. From within the mysterious stone dial, relevant information slowly flowed out.


    ¡°So it doesn¡¯t only increase one¡¯s internal energy. I can also transform a person to change one¡¯s physical traits and refine the bone marrow!¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s heart was filled with shock. That dark golden-colored elixir was actually such an amazing item.


    The so-called ¡®miracle elixirs¡¯ would only smoothen one¡¯s meridians, nurture the internal organs, replenish vitality, and increase internal energy.


    Just that alone was sufficient to cause the various sects to scramble all over for it.


    One can imagine if news of this dark golden elixir with nine holes like the apertures of a human body that lets out and absorb vitality were to be leaked to the public, it would probably cause a bloody storm.


    A person¡¯s bone structure and talent were determined from birth and could not be changed.


    A person¡¯s appearance would be determined from the moment of birth.


    Even if one ingested elixirs daily and had experts infuse Qi to cleanse one¡¯s bones, its effects would be limited.


    For the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir to have the ability to transform a person, that was no different from changing one¡¯s fate and creating a new body.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the thief! How dare you trespass the Truth Monastery!¡±


    Just as Zhao Mu was about to leave, a loud roar shook the Purity Hall.

 Chapter 14

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The sound was like a resounding bell, shaking up the hall.


    A tall lean figure appeared in a flash. The cloud pattern on his daoist robes fluttered behind him as he caused a rippling wave in the air.


    After his shout exposed Zhao Mu¡¯s tracks, the approaching man tapped his foot lightly and rose in the air.


    With his right palm filled with a fearsome true Qi, it stirred up an air current as it rushed straight at the uninvited guest standing before the nine-dragon stone sculpture.


    It must be a thief for the trespasser to avoid the main entrance and trespass in the dead of the night!


    ¡°Cough cough. That¡¯s a good Wuding Mountain Splitter1.¡±


    A hoarse voice suddenly drifted to the daoist¡¯s ears.


    The opponent seemed to be advanced in age and was ill.


    He did not turn around, nor hide. It was as though he did not notice anything and just allowed the daoist to hit him with that powerful palm strike.


    ¡®How did he recognize the move?¡¯


    The daoist did not stop his attack despite his confusion.


    His right palm covered in a metallic gold color met no resistance as he pushed it against the thief¡¯s back.


    The daoist was confident that even if the opponent¡¯s body was forged from metal, he would still be seriously injured by his Wuding Mountain Splitter filled with 30 years of true Qi, causing the thief to vomit blood and die.


    Dong!


    Before he could touch the robes, the daoist¡¯s expression changed suddenly


    He felt as though his palm had hit a wall of iron and could not advance even a single inch!


    It was as though a layer of sturdy barrier had securely blocked off that fearsome palm strike.


    30 years of painstakingly cultivated true Qi felt like a drop in the ocean, causing no reaction at all.


    Before he could make a quick retreat, waves of fiery energy rushed at him.


    His right hand felt as though it was pushed into a furnace as he felt the burning sensation.


    It was accompanied by a sizzling sound as a vague out-of-place smell of burning flesh wafted through the inside of Purity Hall.


    ¡°True Qi emission!¡±


    The daoist did not have a strong cultivation background, but he knew his stuff.


    He quickly pulled back his hand and put over a dozen steps distance between them before asking, ¡°May I know why would this senior trespass into Truth Monastery in the night?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± That man asked with his back facing the daoist, never once turning over.


    ¡°I¡¯m Chang Yun, the master of Truth Monastery,¡± the daoist lowered his tone and replied honestly.


    After all, he was a martial artist at the fourth Mortal Stage, Circulation.


    In the world of martial arts, he could be considered a second-rate expert.


    The Wuding Mountain Splitter he used earlier had been strengthened with massive true Qi.


    With one palm strike, splitting rocks and boulders was not an issue, much less a body of flesh and blood.


    However, that person¡¯s figure was not shaken at all and only showed his back.


    The massive energy behind that palm strike felt like a drop in the ocean that did not even cause a splash.


    Just how strong was that person¡¯s physique?


    The daoist was in complete shock.


    Furthermore, the opponent managed to emit his true Qi and deploy a Qi field that felt like a burning furnace.


    Putting together all that he had seen, the daoist concluded that he was at least a Qi Refinement Expert that achieved the state of unity!


    He might even be of a higher cultivation stage!


    ¡°Your palm strike earlier lacked something.¡±


    The hoarse voice said slowly, enunciating each word.


    ¡°The Wuding Mountain Splitter palm strike¡¯s essence is probably taken from ¡®crumbling mountain kills the strong!¡¯, accumulating strength behind the palm strike. Once unleashed, it would strike like a furious thunder that causes the mountains to tremble.¡±


    A glow flashed across Daoist Chang Yun¡¯s eyes. He seemed to be both surprised and terrified.


    Each of the senior¡¯s words seemed to hit him right in his heart.


    ¡°Crumbling mountain kills the strong¡­¡±


    With just a few words, that person had simplified the essence of the palm technique.


    That person did not even take a look at him. From just the force of the palm strike alone, that person managed to figure out the secret behind it.


    Absolutely profound!


    That was the only description Daoist Chang Yun could think of at that moment.


    He could not help but feel relieved. If he turned around to escape and call for the royal guards, he might have lost his life before leaving the gates of the monastery.


    ¡°Senior, thank you for your guidance.¡±


    Daoist Chang Yun placed his hands together, apparently happy to submit himself.


    ¡°I¡¯ve long heard of the nine-dragon stone sculpture within Truth Monastery to be interesting. I¡¯m free tonight and decided to pay a visit out of the blue. I hope you¡¯ll forgive my intrusion.¡±


    That hoarse voice seemed to be filled with lamentations, as though it was filled with many memories of the past.


    ¡®Could this senior have some sort of intertwined fate with the Truth Monastery?¡¯ Daoist Chang Yun thought to himself.


    The monastery was originally built for a princess from the previous dynasty for her use in cultivation.


    The nine-dragon stone sculpture was a legacy of the previous dynasty.


    The monastery had the Nandou and Beidou Halls, the sculpture of Celestial Venerable Taiyi, the constellation mural, and so on.


    However, this senior did not look for the others, He only picked out the nine-dragon stone sculpture. That definitely meant something.


    With that, Daoist Chang Yun followed his heart and said respectfully, ¡°Senior, your knowledge of martial arts is profound and can come and go as you like in the imperial city inner districts. There¡¯s nothing wrong with you coming into Truth Monastery.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen nothing tonight and will never bring this up to outsiders!¡±


    That person seemed to be satisfied as he nodded slightly and sighed, ¡°I never liked to owe others favors, but also like to ponder on fate.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve found me tonight, I¡¯ll naturally have to leave something behind¡­¡±


    Daoist Chang Yun¡¯s gaze seemed to be confused as he looked at the senior.


    That person turned around and stepped lightly.


    It was only a single motion, yet the world seemed to shake around him.


    That man looked as though he was stepping on the entire Divine Continent and was able to subdue mountains and rivers with his fists.


    The grandeur of his presence brought about a feeling of submission from within oneself.


    Daoist Chang Yun¡¯s eyes were filled with fear, almost unable to make a sound.


    He was trying hard to see the senior¡¯s appearance but felt his eyes being stung. It was as though he was looking directly into the sun.


    There was a layer of golden-colored flames that blocked off his vision.


    ¡°Seeing one part is sufficient to extrapolate the rest. From the Wuding Mountain Splitter, the martial arts you practice should be going along the lines of ferocity. Your techniques are focused on quick and powerful strikes, fighting openly.¡±


    The hoarse voice was like rumbling thunder to Daoist Chang Yun¡¯s ears, causing his head to buzz from the vibrations.


    ¡°However, you¡¯re too focused on speed and power and neglected the illusory aspect of things.


    ¡°Have a look at what my palm strike is like!¡±


    Daoist Chang Yun had already been stunned, standing still like a marionette.


    Upon hearing the senior¡¯s voice, he subconsciously focused his attention over.


    All he saw were five slender fingers slowly opening up as though they were pillars that supported the skies.


    The strength gathered in the palm, accumulating without moving outward. It was just the birth of a storm.


    ¡®This is¡­Wuding Mountain Splitter?¡¯


    Daoist Chang Yun was shocked to his core, absolutely terrified.


    It was just a simple palm strike without any special changes, but in the hands of the senior, it had somehow become something exceptionally scary!


    He felt as though the world around him had disappeared.


    All that was left was that palm that felt like crumbling mountains, collapsing downward!


    ¡®I¡¯ll die if I touch that!¡¯


    Daoist Chang Yun had difficulty breathing. He could not help but feel a sense of dread welling up within him.


    It was as though a blood-red word was written in the middle of the palm¡ªDeath!


    It encompassed his entire vision!


    ¡°This is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Crumbling mountain kills the strong!¡±


    Just as that palm strike was about to land on Daoist Chang Yun¡¯s chest, the force retracted suddenly.


    It was as though the storm just passed and peace returned.


    As if everything earlier was just an illusion.


    ¡°Senior¡­¡±


    When Daoist Chang Yun snapped back to attention, the mysterious expert had long disappeared.


    All that was left was the terrible and horrifying Wuding Mountain Splitter imprinted deeply in his mind.


    ¡°The will of martial arts can grab one¡¯s mind¡­It¡¯s really like a demon!¡±


    Daoist Chang Yun analyzed it in detail, reliving his experience, trying to understand the key points taught by the senior from earlier.


    He stood in the courtyard and kept mumbling ¡°illusory¡± repeatedly.


    ¡°Is it the emission and retraction of strength?¡±


    Daoist Chang Yun tried to imitate the senior¡¯s move. He directed strength to his legs and let the force move through his waist, connecting to the small area within his palm.


    Breathing in and out, he imprinted all his strength on the pagoda-shaped brazier used for incense burning behind him.


    Bang!


    It sounded like rolling thunder!


    Daoist Chang Yun opened his eyes and looked at the remnants of the incense brazier that was torn to multiple parts in a stupor.


    To have such expert control over that massive true Qi force was impossible for him.


    ¡°Manifesting reality from illusory. The palm¡¯s force lingered on the bronze brazier for such a long time without dispersing¡­I¡¯m afraid that senior must be a Spiritual Transformation Expert!¡± Daoist Chang Yun muttered to himself.


    ¡ª

 Chapter 15

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Phew! That was close!¡±


    Upon returning to his bedchamber, Zhao Mu let out a long sigh of relief.


    He sat on the bed as he tried to calm his emotions.


    ¡°With my hundred years of internal energy, hundred years of true Qi, coupled with Huo Rulie¡¯s will of martial arts at the Spiritual Transformation Stage, it¡¯s not hard to masquerade as an expert.¡±


    After his tracks were exposed by Daoist Chang Yun, Zhao Mu improvised on the spot and managed to worm his way out of it.


    The master of Truth Monastery was at the fourth Mortal Stage, Circulation Stage.


    He had acquired the ability to connect the energy within his body and focus his strength into one location.


    Furthermore, he had a deep pool of true Qi and a fearsome palm technique.


    It would be easy for him to mold metal like mud and break rocks.


    If it were any regular martial artist of the third Mortal Stage, Unblocking Aperture Stage that met with Daoist Chang Yun, they would most likely be captured on the spot and handed over to the royal guards.


    However, Zhao Mu had cultivated the Divine Sun and Moon Scripture.


    All his apertures and acupoints had Primordial Yang Qi within them that was extremely domineering like an all-engulfing flame.


    According to the categorization of the 10 Mortal Stages, only a Qi Refinement Expert that achieved unity would be able to emit one¡¯s true Qi to manifest a Qi weapon.


    Such a weapon would be able to take another¡¯s life while staying thousands of feet away.


    However, the Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures were not the same.


    Primordial Yang Qi and Mysterious Yin Qi were hidden within one¡¯s apertures and acupoints.


    Once those points were connected, emitting Qi outside the body was not an issue.


    Sometime earlier, Zhao Mu had demonstrated his ability to light a candle across the room by shooting a line of fire out of his hand.


    Hence, when Daoist Chang Yun attacked him with his palm, Zhao Mu used his Primordial Yang Qi to protect his body. It was like a formless true flame that formed a layer outside his robes.


    Daoist Chang Yun¡¯s 30 years of painstakingly cultivated power was helpless when faced with an incomparable abomination of the likes of Zhao Mu.


    Under the might of the Primordial Yang Qi, that little bit of true Qi was like firewood before the sun.


    Before it could even reach his body, it was completely burnt away.


    After the first successful step, he then used Huo Rulie¡¯s experience in martial arts to lecture the other party regarding the flaws of his martial arts, perfectly creating a facade of a mysterious expert.


    He avoided a direct confrontation that would attract the royal guards, which could result in a rather awkward situation.


    ¡°Speaking of it, the eighth Mortal Stage of Spiritual Transformation is truly a divide in martial arts cultivation.¡±


    Zhao Mu thought about it carefully. Earlier, he imitated Huo Rulie¡¯s will of martial arts and executed the same technique of Wuding Mountain Splitter.


    Daoist Chang Yun was enraptured by it and lost his will to retaliate.


    One should know that he was only an amateur and not a true expert of the Spiritual Transformation Stage.


    Just by borrowing a shred of mental power from Huo Rulie, he was able to intimidate a second-rate expert of the fourth Mortal Stage.


    From that, one could conclude that once the spirit had gone through a transformation and condense all of one¡¯s knowledge on martial arts into a powerful will, then the martial artists would go through a qualitative change and enter a broader and wider world.


    ¡°Hiding one¡¯s tracks and masquerading before others are not the traits of a gentleman.


    ¡°However, I have no other choice. My strength is still lacking. If I can cultivate an unrivaled art, why would I need to hide my identity?¡±


    Zhao Mu lamented while he opened his right palm.


    The dark golden elixir was rolling as it floated before him.


    True to its name, the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir had nine tiny holes on its surface that resembled the apertures on a human¡¯s body.


    It contained an air current that would constantly flow in and out, behaving just like a living being.


    With just the slightest whiff, the refreshing scent of herbs filled his nostrils.


    ¡°Divine elixir! It¡¯s definitely a divine elixir!¡±


    Zhao Mu ditched his disappointment from before and turned abnormally excited.


    This trip to the Truth Monastery was worth it!


    Just by holding it in his hands, he could already feel the strong vitality coming from it.


    It seemed to be breathing. It was definitely not an inanimate object refined from rare herbs.


    Zhao Mu even had a feeling that if he placed the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir in a blessed land and nurtured it for several decades, it might even gain sentience and come to life like those stories in fantasy novels.


    ¡°No wonder this divine elixir is hard as still. It¡¯s not meant to be ingested, but used externally instead.¡±


    Zhao Mu focused his attention slightly to have the mysterious stone dial provide the details.


    ¡°The only way to use it is to fuse it into the body and wash over it with Qi. With that, one would achieve the effect of transformation and rewrite fate.¡±


    He grabbed hard on the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir and realized that it was just like a smooth and round metal ball that was difficult to crush.


    If a normal person ingested it, it would probably pierce through the intestines and damage their internal organs, leading to them dying from hemorrhage.


    Even if an expert achieved the state of unity and refined their bone marrows, it would still be difficult to digest such a hard metallic object.


    ¡°However, would one live with a hole in the chest?¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s hesitation only lasted for a moment.


    The reason he achieved what he had and was no longer bound by the cold palace was because of the assistance from the mysterious stone dial.


    No matter where it came from, or why it came to him, he decided to put away the pointless doubts within him before he could uncover the truth.


    As long as he continued forward, he would eventually come face to face with the truth.


    ¡°Ah, the best in the world¡­¡±


    Zhao Mu reaffirmed himself. First, he found some bandages and blood clotting powder just in case.


    Next, he found a dagger and placed it on the desk.


    With all the preparation complete, he took a deep breath.


    How could he be afraid of getting hurt if he wanted to be the best martial arts grandmaster in the world?


    The flesh on his chest was cut open and blood spurted out.


    Zhao Mu grabbed onto the heavy Nine Aperture Golden Core and pressed it into the opening in his chest.


    Gasp!


    Throughout the ordeal, his forehead was filled with cold sweat as he could not hold back from gasping.


    It was too painful!


    It felt just like he was digging his heart out!


    The moment the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir was washed over by his Qi as it entered his body, the elixir¡¯s effects spread quickly.


    Zhao Mu witnessed a miraculous scene. The horrible wounds on his body healed over rapidly.


    The scarlet blood that flowed rapidly out of his body had also stopped quickly, leaving only a faint scar behind


    Before he could complete one Qi cycle, Zhao Mu already felt it.


    A refreshing feeling exuded from his pores.


    His mouth also started salivating as his physical body was nourished.


    It felt like he was turning into a feather and ascending to heaven. He was in absolute bliss.


    ¡°It feels like I have an extra heart.¡±


    Zhao Mu pressed against his chest.


    With each strong beat, it would activate the Qi within his body.


    Whoosh! Whooosh!


    Blood continually washed over it and eventually thickened to the point that it resembled quicksilver.


    When it flowed, it created a clear sound.


    ¡°Transformation of the body is real! I can feel my strength growing with each breath.¡±


    Zhao Mu finally experienced how it felt to grow stronger by just breathing.


    He immediately sat in a lotus position on the bed and started cultivating.


    Waves of heat stimulated his Qi circulation.


    Zhao Mu felt like he was seated in a giant furnace, being continually tempered and refined.


    The muscles in his body seemed like they were being compressed. The entire process was like processing raw materials into refined iron, then further refine them into steel.


    At that moment, his sturdy body that perfected Form Shaping and Body Tempering reached a new height.


    After several hours of cultivation, the Primordial Yang Qi in his apertures were filled to the brim.


    Zhao Mu stopped his Qi circulation and swung his fist.


    Boom!


    It was like setting off a string of firecrackers. The air current exploded around him and created booming sounds.


    His body seemed to be containing the strength comparable to that of titans. With just the slightest stretch, his movements would affect the air around him.


    ¡°If Daoist Chang Yun appeared before me now, I¡¯m afraid I would kill him in a single punch.¡±


    Zhao Mu used the first opponent he met ever since his cultivation as a unit of measurement for his strength.


    Upon further speculation, he felt that in his current form, he should be able to take on four to five Daoist Chang Yun without any problems.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to worry about my voracious appetite and eating too much anymore.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s heart was overjoyed.


    The Nine Aperture Golden Elixir was sufficient to provide for his body¡¯s needs.


    Meanwhile, when compared to the potency, it was leagues stronger than ginseng and velvet antlers.


    Having solved that major issue, then his future cultivation would be even faster and had no more worries.


    He focused his thoughts and once again looked toward the mysterious stone dial in his mind.


    [Zhao Mu]


    [Two hundred years of internal energy.]


    [Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist, Presence Concealing Mantra, Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures.]


    ¡°My internal energy went up by another hundred years¡­¡±


    Zhao Mu felt helpless right after that.


    He had already converted 100 years of internal energy into strands of Primordial Yang Qi, but then¡­


    ¡®If this continues, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll become the world¡¯s strongest martial artist in the third Mortal Stage!¡¯ Zhao Mu thought to himself.


    When others talked about internal energy, it would usually be counted in decades and obtained after painstaking cultivation.


    As for him?


    Each unit is measured by 100 years. They came to him just like that and it was never-ending.


    ¡®If this continues¡­¡¯ An image formed in Zhao Mu¡¯s mind.


    An Innate Grandmaster approached from the sky, and then¡ª


    Smack!


    Slapped to death by his 3,000 years of accumulated internal energy!


    ¡°That¡¯s going too far with the imagination. What kind of incredible physique would I need to house 3 thousand years of internal energy?¡±


    Zhao Mu stopped his joking thoughts. After what he had seen in the Truth Monastery, he vaguely had an idea of what the 10 Mortal Stages are.


    Daoist Chang Yun, who was one cultivation stage higher than him, looked to be normal and uninteresting.


    As for Eunuch Gao that he met even earlier, he was at the fifth Mortal Stage of Foundation Establishment.


    However, Zhao Mu could not feel any sense of danger or apprehensive feeling from him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never truly fought a real expert before and have no idea what my level will be if I were to fight for real.¡±


    Zhao Mu lamented and thought nothing more about it.


    Instead, he continued to meditate and refine the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir within his body.

 Chapter 16

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    A few days later, Zhao Yuan brought along a food container and ran toward Eternal Happiness Palace.


    Before he could enter Longevity Hall, he was met with a chorus of ¡°Eleventh Prince¡± and ¡°Your Highness¡± as the people paid respects to him.


    During that period, Zhao Yuan would bring all sorts of delicacies to share with his brother whenever it was mealtime.


    Without the twice-a-year visitation limit, the Eleventh Prince almost treated the Eternal Happiness Hall as his bedchamber, constantly coming by for visits.


    Even the lazy eunuchs and maids had begun to work in earnest.


    After all, the Eleventh Prince was unlike the easy-going Tenth Prince.


    Even if they were caught slacking off for the slightest bit, they would be reprimanded.


    ¡°Brother, I had the imperial kitchen prepare a new dish that you would probably like.¡±


    Zhao Yuan strode past the door and placed the food container on the desk by the bed.


    ¡°Stop troubling the chefs in the imperial kitchen by having them constantly come up with exotic foods. I¡¯m already growing tired of eating them,¡± Zhao Mu said with a laugh as he put down the book in his hands.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know in the past that your meals in this palace were so simple. You have less than three meat and vegetable dishes altogether. They didn¡¯t even provide you with soup!¡±


    Zhao Yuan opened up the food container and took out multiple dishes, huffing angrily, ¡°Even the eunuchs in the inner court have better meals than yours!


    ¡°I reckon the imperial kitchen¡¯s supervisor is just looking down on you and intentionally cutting corners!


    ¡°I¡¯m just asking them to cook a few more dishes. How dare they have complaints!?


    ¡°If not for your kindness and unwillingness to pursue the matter, I¡¯d have long reported them to the Twelve Directorates to have them exiled for contempt of the imperial family!¡±


    Zhao Mu shook his head with a faint smile. He was a prince sent off to the cold palace.


    No matter how many requests he made, it would only end up being ignored by those bootlicking eunuchs that respected power and looked down on the weak.


    It was impossible to wish for everyone in the imperial city to be like Eunuch Gao, who clearly understood his own position and remembered who was the master and who was the servant.


    Bootlicking those in power, and stepping on those that lost power.


    That was a common occurrence in the harem.


    ¡°This is Zha meat. It¡¯s made from the fresh meat of one-year-old pigs. After removing the bone, it¡¯s cut into five-inch strips and boiled three times. It must not be overcooked to maintain its firmness. After removing it from the water and cooled, it¡¯s then cut into cubes before seasoned with salt and Cornelian cherry. It is then placed in a jar.¡±


    Zhao Yuan clapped his hands and instructed the servants to bring over a green porcelain grill.


    ¡°This layer of meat will be topped with a layer of short-grain rice, filling up the jar. After one month, it¡¯ll be ready to eat.


    ¡°There are also many ways to eat it. Normally, I¡¯d like to eat it with garlic paste along with ginger and vinegar. Today, we can try grilling it.¡±


    Looking at his busy brother, Zhao Mu was reminded of his experience of eating grilled meat in his past life.


    He did not expect to relive that memory after coming to this world.


    Below the porcelain grill was properly burning smokeless charcoal.


    The grill¡¯s surface was coated with a layer of rendered chicken fat, giving it an alluring appearance of glistening gold color.


    The moment the strips of meat were placed on top, they started sizzling, giving off hot steam and a wonderful aroma.


    ¡°How¡¯s the taste?¡±


    Zhao Yuan placed the tenderly grilled meat strip into a bowl and passed it to his brother, then stared at him.


    ¡°Yummy.¡±


    Zhao Mu had a smile on his face.


    Ever since he placed the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir in his chest, he hardly ate any food.


    That dark golden elixir continually released its medicinal properties as his blood and Qi washed over it, fully compensating for all the nutrients and vitality that he burnt through every day.


    Furthermore, it also had the miraculous effect of purifying and refining his body and blood.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you like it. I¡¯ll ask for other dishes next time.¡±


    Zhao Yuan was satisfied. He picked up a chopstick full of meat and placed it in his mouth.


    ¡°This is the bear gall wine given to me by the imperial kitchen supervisor. It can nourish the internal organs and replenish Yang Qi.¡±


    As he ate, he seemed to have recalled something and took out a jar of wine. He opened its cover and poured out two cups.


    It had an amber color and gave off a strong scent of wine.


    ¡°You¡¯re at the critical stage of Body Tempering. You should keep this wine for your use,¡± Zhao Mu said with a wave.


    During those days, he had acquired countless elixirs from signing in and imprinting his Dao mark. He no longer had any need for the bear gall wine to nurture his Qi.


    ¡°Members of the imperial family that practices martial arts will periodically receive salves and nourishing materials. This jar of wine is of no use to me.¡±


    Zhao Yuan shook his head and said sincerely, ¡°Meanwhile, you¡¯re the one staying in the cold palace throughout the year. This cold Qi of this place is very heavy and would harm one¡¯s body.


    ¡°Drinking one small cup of bear gall wine a day can help stimulate your blood and Qi circulation while boosting your vitality.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s lips formed a smile. Seeing that he was unable to reject the gift, he could only receive it helplessly.


    He took a sip of the amber-colored wine. It went down smoothly and had a strong aroma.


    Some time ago, Zhao Mu had drawn up a copy of the moves of Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist and placed it within the booklet. He wondered if Zhao Yuan noticed it.


    With that martial art that allowed one to refine iron-like bones and strengthen one¡¯s body, his brother would have an even stronger and sturdier foundation.


    ¡°Are there any interesting things happening within the palace lately?¡±


    Zhao Mu ate a mouthful of meat and drank some wine as he randomly started another topic.


    ¡°Do you know about the Truth Monastery near this place?¡±


    Zhao Yuan thought about it, then picked some interesting topics to talk about.


    ¡°The monastery¡¯s master is called Daoist Chang Yun. At first, he was invited by some noble to refine some Qi nurturing elixirs, yet he ended up blowing up the elixir furnace at night. He even gave the royal guards a scare, thinking that there may have been an assassin!


    ¡°Turns out that was not the case and it was just a misunderstanding. Daoist Chang Yun had already been sent out of the palace by the Ceremonial Directorate.¡±


    Zhao Mu nodded, then said casually, ¡°That¡¯s just outrageous. How can he refine elixirs in the middle of the night and even blow up the elixir furnace? Is he not scared of disturbing the nobles in the harem?¡±


    Zhao Yuan grunted, seemingly agreeing with his brother¡¯s opinion, and laughed.


    ¡°Yeah. However, that was a blessing in disguise for Daoist Chang Yun as he managed to reach enlightenment from that, breaking through in his martial arts cultivation¡­Breaking through from refining elixirs. It¡¯s really weird!¡±


    ¡°That must be his serendipitous encounter.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s brows twitched as he feigned interest.


    ¡°It¡¯s only a small matter of the Truth Monastery¡¯s elixir furnace getting blown apart. How did that attract the attention of the Ceremonial Directorate?¡±


    ¡°That, I don¡¯t know either.¡±


    Zhao Yuan pouted.


    ¡°Maybe the inner court is still anxious over the strange phenomenon from before. They are on edge and any small occurrence would cause them to freak out.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou had always trusted his ministers.


    He designated the 12 Directorates to manage the internal affairs of the imperial palace.


    Among them, the Ceremonial Directorate¡¯s authority was on par with the princes.


    The eunuch leading the directorate was Chen Chaoen. He was greatly favored by the emperor.


    Even the left and right chief ministers would have to show him respect when they meet him.


    ¡°I heard of rumors within the imperial palace that Eunuch Chen was the number one martial arts expert within the imperial city.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s eyes brightened up with a flash of interest in his eyes.


    ¡°The royal guard¡¯s instructor mentioned it a few times. I¡¯m not sure which exact cultivation stage he was at, but I heard some claim that he was on par with Marquis Zhao Kai while some claim otherwise¡­¡±


    Zhao Yuan put down his chopsticks and took a sip of bear gall wine. The burn caused him to stick out his tongue.


    ¡°You¡¯re still young. Don¡¯t drink so much.¡±


    Zhao Mu took over the cup while maintaining normal expression.


    However, in his heart, he was thinking if the eunuch from the Ceremonial Directorate visited the Truth Monastery and found some clues.


    He had heard of the phenomenon of the vast expanse with Sun and Moon sharing the same sky.


    The Emperor of Zhou had taken a special interest and ordered for a thorough investigation of the matter.


    The person in charge was Chen Chaoen from the Ceremonial Directorate!


    ¡®I wonder if Daoist Chang Yun spilled the beans?¡¯


    Zhao Mu was a little distracted as he finished the cup of bear gall wine.


    With an abundance of Qi, his body felt warm. It also triggered the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir within his chest to produce strong thumping motions.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late. You should go back earlier and don¡¯t stall your learning.¡±


    Zhao Mu looked outside the window. The light was fading.


    With the eating and chatting, almost two hours passed.


    ¡°Oh, regarding the matter of being sent to Tong Province, I have my plans. You don¡¯t need to do anything rash or your good intention might cause trouble instead.¡±


    Zhao seemed to have recalled and reminded his brother. He then said with a laugh, ¡°Today, I¡¯ve eaten a feast at your expense. I¡¯ll consider this a favor I owe you! Come now, tell me if there¡¯s anything you want.¡±


    Zhao Yuan was caught off guard. He originally planned to ask if his brother had any ways to solve the impending danger.


    However, sensing the determination in Zhao Mu¡¯s tone and the bright glow in his eyes, he swallowed in his skepticism.


    Since young, his brother had never lied to him.


    ¡°I wish for your dream to come true, to one day be the best in the world!¡±


    Zhao Yuan proclaimed each word clearly.


    He would always remember how he would stand outside the walls of the cold palace and call out his brother¡¯s name and rant about the grievance he had whenever he suffered indignation.


    His brother could not leave the palace gates. Instead, he folded paper cranes or birds and threw them over the palace walls.


    On them were drawn with cute little men and interesting stories.


    There was a big-headed cat with thick limbs that had a pocket where it could produce strange magical treasures.


    There were also seven children with a gourd on their head, each with miraculous powers, and they fought with the scorpion and snake demon using magic.


    Reading the series of pictures, Zhao Yuan could forget about his worries.


    In that world, nobody would hope for his brother to soar to the skies and break free from his imprisonment than Zhao Yuan himself.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Zhao Mu was stunned for a moment before patting his brother Zhao Yuan on the head, then nodded slowly.


    He thought to himself, ¡®I wonder if an Innate Grandmaster would be considered best in the world? Or perhaps a Human Immortal who lives for five hundred years?¡¯

 Chapter 17

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Clear Mirror Study, also known as ¡°Imperial Study¡±.


    It was the place where the Emperor of Zhou did his reading and stored books.


    ¡°Chaoen, how¡¯s the matter with the Truth Monastery?¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou had slightly white earlocks. He summoned the old eunuch in red robes beside him in a slightly weary tone.


    ¡°Daoist Chang Yun claimed to have an accident with his elixir cauldron, hence causing such a great commotion.¡±


    With wrinkly skin and white hair, looking old and decrepit, as though he would be knocked over with just a breeze, the old eunuch Chen Chaoen replied slowly with a bow.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing major anyway. If I was not investigating the imperial city recently, I wouldn¡¯t have gone there personally.


    ¡°That daoist¡¯s talent is only ordinary and was stuck in the fourth Mortal Stage for a decade. His Qi had already started deteriorating. However, for him to be enlightened by the wisdom of martial arts during elixir refinement, he can be considered a talent.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou was in the process of signing the memorials sent to the throne from the various provinces and regions. He cared not for such minor issues.


    His brows frowned slightly and asked, ¡°Did you find any lead on the phenomenon from that day?¡±


    The old eunuch Chen Chaoen shook his head. He brought men from the Ceremonial Directorate and carefully searched through all palaces and halls within the inner court.


    Even desolate places like the Jingren Palace and the Eternal Happiness Palace were not spared.


    However, it was still fruitless.


    ¡°That person did not leave behind any aura and the tracks well hidden. It¡¯s either an expert in the art of concealment or someone of an extremely high cultivation stage! Even my Heaven Vision Technique was of no use.¡±


    A bright glow flashed within the old eunuch Chen Chaoen¡¯s narrow eyes with blurry pupils, giving him the eerie air of an ancient ghost.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t find him, I¡¯m afraid that person has long departed from the imperial city and disappeared without a trace.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou was still troubled by the grand phenomenon of the Sun and Moon sharing the same sky from that day.


    Could it be a sign?


    For that, he had even summoned the imperial astronomer, Yuan Li, to perform five rounds of fortune-telling. However, there were no abnormalities.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I have an insolent speculation.¡±


    Chen Chaoen bowed his already bent back even further.


    ¡°Within Tianjing City, there aren¡¯t many people that can trigger such a phenomenon that affects the Imperial Dragon Qi.


    ¡°Marquis Zhao Kai who¡¯s one step away from the Innate Grandmaster Stage, His Highness the Crown Prince who bears the dragon Qi, and¡­the leader of the Dragon Guardians anointed by the ancestor.


    ¡°Apart from them, I really can¡¯t think of anyone else that could create such a phenomenon.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou closed his eyes while his fingers tapped on the broad narra desk.


    After 15 minutes of silence, he finally said softly, ¡°It¡¯s not Zhao¡¯er. He¡¯s only capable of securing the nation. He doesn¡¯t have the spirit or ambitions to take over the world, to swallow the Sun and Moon. Moreover, his foundations had been damaged since young and would never have such a deep and powerful foundation to manifest such a phenomenon.


    ¡°Marquis Zhao Kai¡­Back then he did not fight for the throne. If he¡¯s only thinking of making a move after I¡¯ve been on it for so long, wouldn¡¯t that be a little too late?


    ¡°There had been no news of Grand Commander Zhao of the Dragon Guardians ever since his battle with Master Zhizhu of the Great Boundless Palace fifteen years ago.


    ¡°After that, the Grand Commander told the four chief guardians he would enter closed-door cultivation to the death and see if he could break through to the tenth Mortal Stage and become a Human Immortal.


    ¡°In the blink of an eye, the Great Boundless Palace¡¯s Master Zhizhu is at the end of his ropes while his disciple Phags-pa is exerting his dominance over the world.


    ¡°Meanwhile, I¡¯ve yet to see the Grand Commander come out of his closed-door cultivation. I¡¯m afraid that¡­he has failed.¡±


    Before Chen Chaoen, the Emperor of Zhou did not show any air of authority.


    Within the imperial palace, the old eunuch that followed him all the while back when he was still fighting for the throne was the only one he could share his heartfelt thoughts with.


    ¡°Innate Grandmasters have a lifespan of over two hundred years. Along with precious herbs that prolonged one¡¯s lifespan, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to live up to three hundred years!


    ¡°From my perspective, the Grand Commander might not have failed his closed cultivation. He might also be seeking life through death, looking to reverse one¡¯s mortality. He might be at the critical moment of becoming a Human Immortal.¡±


    Chen Chaoen said carefully.


    The Dragon Guardians were established during the founding of the kingdom by the founding ancestor.


    Grand Commander Zhao Ce was one of the few Innate Grandmasters in the world.


    Although his name was on the ranking board, few people knew about his identity and full name.


    Back then, if not for the Grand Commander Guardian holding off Master Zhizhu from the Great Boundless Palace along with his eight subordinate divisions, the Zhou Kingdom might be as secure as it turned out to be.


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be Marquis Zhao Kai. If he wanted this seat, there¡¯s no need to wait until now.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou thought about it, then removed the doubt in his heart.


    ¡°Back then, Father loved him and even praised him with words like ¡®this son is just like me¡¯. However, soon after that, he departed from Tianjing City, leaving behind his wealth and power of a prince to travel the world.¡±


    Chen Chaoen did not say much. He was only analyzing and deducing.


    If not those three, then who else could trespass the imperial city silently and also affect the Imperial Dragon Qi?


    ¡°If Grand Commander Zhao was around, the Zhou Kingdom would not be in such a passive state.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou massaged his tightly knit brows and lamented, ¡°Just a single monk from a secretive sect managed to make me hand over Yongxue Pass! I¡¯m truly a disgrace to the previous emperors!¡±


    Chen Chaoen lowered his face and said in a soft voice, ¡°I deserve to die for my inability to ease your worries.¡±


    He managed the Ceremonial Directorate, having to watch over the imperial city and serve the emperor at the same time.


    In terms of martial arts cultivation stage, this old eunuch that had access to imperial secret arts and elixir supplies was already an expert at the peak of the Spiritual Transformation Stage.


    Unfortunately, a eunuch was innately handicapped, lacking that little bit of extreme Yang Qi, making it almost impossible for them to reach the Innate Grandmaster Stage.


    ¡°When you visit the Black Dragon Altar again, go ask the commander of the four guardians and see if you can learn the whereabouts of the Grand Commander. Regardless of his success or failure, the Taiji Pure Yang Coffin that was borrowed for his cultivation breakthrough should be returned.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou frowned his brows deeply as he ordered in a low voice.


    Within the imperial treasury, there was a great treasure named Taiji Pure Yang Coffin.


    It was able to collect the pure Yang Qi from its surroundings, using it to cleanse one¡¯s body and restore vitality.


    However, it was taken by the Grand Commander of the Dragon Guardians for his closed-door cultivation to the death. Up until then, it was never returned to the imperial family.


    ¡°With that treasure, Zhao¡¯er will be able to start his Foundation Establishment immediately and cultivate the Sacred Heavenly Scripture acquired by the great ancestor. Meanwhile, Chaoen, you will have a better chance at breaking through to the Innate Stage.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou had never slacked off and performed his tasks dutifully ever since his ascension to the throne.


    However, there were external threats of the Yuanmeng Empire and other nations on the Divine Continent.


    At the same time, there were also internal worries of the great families and sects of the martial world.


    They caused him to be heavily burdened and shackled, making it difficult for him to execute anything.


    He had a total of 11 children, nine of them princes.


    At that moment, three had passed away.


    The Crown Prince was not living up to his expectations, lacking the spirit and ability to expand the nation.


    Little Nine was too similar to Marquis Zhao Kai, loving to deal with the sects of the martial world, completely forgetting that the various sects out there were like wild snakes.


    They were a group of people without a sense of righteousness and patriotism in their hearts. Furthermore, they were like insurgents and thieves that would only break the rules with their violence.


    The Fifth Prince whom he favored had even died in Yongxue Pass, losing his life to the barbarians of the plains.


    The rest of his sons were even worse.


    They lacked the ability to govern and the quality of an emperor.


    ¡°Yuan¡¯er is quite promising, but he¡¯s too young.¡±


    After much contemplation, the Emperor of Zhou picked the Eleventh Prince, Zhao Yuan, but then shook his head and said, ¡°I can only choose the Crown Prince. Sigh¡­if I steeled my heart and killed that cursed child in the crib, perhaps my other sons wouldn¡¯t have died so early¡­¡±


    Chen Chaoen remained silent. He constantly reminded himself that he was only a servant.


    The emperor¡¯s matters in the kingdom were not something he should comment on.


    ¡°Your Majesty has a kind heart. How would you bear to act against your own flesh and blood? All these years during Consort Ning¡¯s death anniversary, Your Majesty would visit Jingren Palace and stay for a while. From that, we can see that Your Majesty still treasures the old feelings.¡±


    Chen Chaoen held a cup of warm tea and passed it to the frowning emperor¡¯s side.


    The old eunuch that looked like a flickering candle flame in the wind had dry skin that was akin to old dead trees.


    However, his hands were fair as jade, devoid of any wrinkles.


    ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t believe in Yuan Li¡¯s fortune. With a kingdom¡¯s fate and the Imperial Dragon Qi protecting me, any regular martial arts expert wouldn¡¯t be able to harm me. How would I be cursed by my own son?¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou lifted the lid from the cup and blew at it.


    ¡°However, the truth is laid before me. I¡¯ll be honest with you, Chaoen. Ever since Cheng¡¯er¡¯s passing, I¡¯ve been having frequent nightmares.


    ¡°Just above the Hanging Arch Palace, I dreamt of a black dragon opening its maws and swallowing me whole! It¡¯s terrifying!¡±


    Chen Chaoen¡¯s faint brows twitched as his heart was shocked.


    He was an expert in martial arts and was naturally able to pick up on that cold killing intent within the emperor¡¯s tone.


    ¡°Your Majesty, your plan is?¡±


    He could not help but lower his voice.


    ¡°Three months later, when that cursed child follows Little Nine on the way to Tong Province, go make him die of a sudden illness.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou took a sip of hot tea and said calmly, ¡°Fifteen years. I¡¯ve let him live for fifteen long years.


    ¡°At this point, for the Zhou Kingdom, I can¡¯t think about the ties of flesh and blood any longer.¡±


    Chen Chaoen, the supervisor of the Ceremonial Directorate sighed softly, then nodded in reply, ¡°I¡¯ll see to it.¡±

 Chapter 18

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Recently, everyone within the imperial city inner court got busy.


    That was because the emperor¡¯s birthday was in three months.


    By then, everyone in the nation would celebrate together.


    From the queen, consorts, and the princes, to the eunuchs and servants of the inner court.


    None dared to be lazy in regards to this important matter and took it very seriously.


    The construction of the celebratory building started early. They decorated the place and planned the list of seats.


    It was reasonable that almost everyone wanted to take their chance at the seat on the great throne of authority since ancient times.


    Rising to the throne in all its glory while wrapped in the dragon robe.


    One would enjoy the favor of the fate of the lands, inheriting the fate of countless people within the nation.


    Like the moon being supported by a myriad of stars, giving off a glorious glow, with just a word, one could decide the fate of the kingdom, the life and death of the ministers.


    The glory and wealth of most people in the world were in that person¡¯s control.


    Just what kind of authority was that?


    Everyone loved the feeling of looking down at the scenery from the peak of a mountain.


    The throne within the Golden Hall was in some ways, the peak of the world!


    ¡®But I still think that practicing martial arts is more fulfilling,¡¯ Zhao Mu thought to himself as he stood in the practice chamber.


    Scaling the steps of the long stairway in martial arts was like clearing level after level, completing one achievement after another. From there, he could obtain limitless satisfaction.


    Who would not like a game where one constantly grew stronger and built up oneself?


    ¡°There¡¯s only one-fifth of the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir remaining.¡±


    Zhao Mu looked inward and ¡®saw¡¯ the dark golden elixir within his chest had shrunk quite a bit.


    Being immersed with the strong Qi, his body grew sturdier with time.


    It was as though his entire body was made from refined iron.


    ¡°Transformation is not a myth.¡±


    Zhao Mu clenched his fist and suddenly moved his strength.


    Within the training chambers, a low thunder-like rumbling noise exploded forth.


    The air current in the vicinity seemed to be torn apart by an invisible hand, forming a vortex of decent size.


    Just his physique alone would outmatch a lot of higher-ranked members of the Heavenly Dragon Temple.


    Zhao Mu speculated. According to what Monk Yuankong recorded in the martial arts scriptures, thunderous strength and quicksilver-like blood.


    That was the hallmark of the seventh Mortal Stage, the Titan Stage.


    However, he had already achieved it right then.


    ¡°Cultivation at the third Mortal Stage, true Qi at the sixth stage, and a physique of the seventh stage¡­Just what stage am I at now?¡±


    Zhao Mu was confused.


    He wanted to look for an opponent, someone that was stronger than Daoist Chang Yun from the Truth Monastery, to test out his strength.


    Nevertheless, he was also worried if he was growing arrogant.


    What if he ran into a true expert and was killed in one blow?


    ¡°I better practice martial arts and raise my levels slowly, at least reaching the Innate Grandmaster Stage. Only then I¡¯ll feel secure.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s mind was distracted for a moment before he collected his thoughts.


    He took a deep breath and started practicing the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist.


    He channeled his strength throughout his body and moved his quicksilver-like heavy blood and Qi.


    He pushed it against the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir to extract its medicinal effects of nurturing his body.


    Waves of heat spread across his body and apertures, then transformed into a wealth of pure internal energy.


    ¡°From the description in the stone dial, fully refining this elixir will extend my lifespan to nine hundred years¡­¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s brows twitched.


    In this world, even Human Immortals could only live for 500 years.


    After taking this elixir, he actually managed to outlive an expert of the tenth Mortal Stage?


    It was truly unfathomable!


    As Zhao Mu pondered, he continued to practice his martial arts.


    His body moved about, making big steps within the practice chamber.


    He was like a ferocious tiger out on a hunt, exuding a strong and domineering aura.


    That was the change in his spirit after fully absorbing the essence of the fist technique within him.


    Such a state was what the various sects called ¡®essence immersion¡¯.


    What it meant was that the art was mastered and deeply imprinted in one¡¯s body, forming a subconscious muscle memory within oneself.


    If any outsiders were there to witness Zhao Mu in that form, they would be filled with an illusory thought that he was not a human, but rather a tiger demon.


    That was the oppressive feeling stemming from the fusion of martial arts into one¡¯s spirit and will.


    Bend reality to manifest the true self!


    Dong! Dong! Dong!


    As he practiced, the speed of his fists increased.


    Each time he assumed a different form and posture, the muscles and joints in his body would tremble, producing a low rumbling thunder-like sound.


    In his previous life, it was described as ¡®rumbling tiger, the roaring of joints¡¯.


    There was no mystery to it. It was just sounds produced from the vibrations of one¡¯s joints when exerting strength, achievable after one¡¯s muscles and bones were strengthened inside out.


    Meanwhile, in the words of the martial artists of this world, that was the sign of reaching the adept level of the Qi Refinement Stage.


    ¡°Changing one¡¯s blood, refining one¡¯s essence¡­this Nine Aperture Golden Elixir helped me achieve a higher stage in advance.¡±


    Zhao Mu continued his contemplation as he practiced a few more repetitions of the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist.


    The pores on his body excreted sweat, giving him a refreshing feel.


    He noticed that it was still early. His brother still had to complete his homework and would not be coming over.


    He then returned to a lotus position on the mat and started circulating the Primordial Yang Qi hidden in his apertures.


    Just like a Qi with the shape of true flame, it condensed into balls of golden flames.


    The bones of a human¡¯s body were separated into three major sections: the skull, the body, and the limbs.


    Zhao Mu controlled the Primordial Yang Qi, materializing it into a true flame the size of a fist.


    From his body, it started burning one section at a time to burn away the impurities.


    It was a method he obtained by absorbing Huo Rulie¡¯s experience.


    At the fifth Mortal Stage, Foundation Establishment, one could use one¡¯s cultivation art to imbue special property to true Qi.


    For example, the five basic elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.


    It could also be the more unorthodox ones like wind, lightning, Yin, and Yang.


    After that, one would use true Qi to refine the blood essence to manifest the root bone.


    That was the ordeal of the fifth Mortal Stage, Foundation Establishment.


    The so-called ¡®root bone¡¯ had many interpretations.


    It was just a term to represent one¡¯s talent and affinity.


    In old sayings, the bone was the foundation of form.


    Regarding the face, there were interpretations of the four special traits of ¡®straight, sideward, spiral, and twisted.¡¯


    Regarding the eyes, there were interpretations on regular pupils, three, or even four pupils.


    Regarding the skin, there were claims on moles lined up like the Big Dipper that corresponds to the constellation.


    There were many interpretations and all of them were different.


    The root bone was hidden within one¡¯s flesh and body.


    If one wanted to manifest it, it could only be done via refinement using true Qi to temper the body and stimulate a transformation.


    Zhao Mu cultivated the Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures and could manifest his true Qi long ago.


    With that, he started this step in advance.


    The Primordial Yang Qi was extremely domineering. It was like the fires of the sun with unrivaled ferocity.


    Zhao Mu sat on the mat and felt as though he was placed in a furnace. His forehead was lined with sweat.


    Balls of illusory fire were moving around like flowing water.


    The feeling he had to endure was akin to having his internal organs burnt away.


    Although it was painful, the effects were amazing.


    Zhao Mu¡¯s body appeared to be going through a major transformation.


    It was letting off a soft glow that looked like molten glass.


    In terms of hardness, it was not inferior to refined steel.


    ¡®Having high-quality true Qi is really advantageous¡­¡¯


    Zhao Mu thought internally.


    After burning and refining a piece of his bone, he got ready to finish up.


    However, out of the blue, a wave of pure Qi of extreme Yang was pulled in by his true Qi and entered his body in a torrential manner.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Feeling the abnormality, Zhao Mu quickly dispersed his Primordial Yang Qi and hid it within his apertures.


    After that, he opened up his eyes and stood up.


    ¡°That Qi of extreme Yang had come from below¡­¡±


    Zhao Mu tapped the floor lightly with his leg but could not hear any hollow sound.


    ¡°Trapdoor? Secret tunnel?¡±


    He had been living in the cold palace for 12 years and never noticed it.


    That abandoned Eastern Palace from the previous Dynasty held secrets.


    After unblocking his apertures, his five senses were keen.


    Zhao Mu slowly manipulated his Primordial Yang Qi as he carefully looked for the source of that extremely pure Qi.


    Within the practice chamber, one could hear a needle dropping in the silence.


    He walked back and forth for almost half an hour and finally found something.


    On the left doorway of the training chamber, there was an ancient screen that was covered in dust.


    Beneath it, there were strands of very weak Qi essence coming out like a springhead.


    Zhao Mu explored around for another 15 minutes before finally finding the trapdoor.


    After lightly knocking on it twice, and twisting the connecting parts of the screen, a decorative hill in the distance moved away silently.


    An entrance appeared on the tightly fitted surface.


    ¡°A secret chamber?¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s brows raised slightly.


    Please enter the translation

 Chapter 19

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°The Eternal Happiness Palace is the residential palace of the crown prince from the previous dynasty. It¡¯s not surprising to have some secret passages or an underground palace.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s gaze shifted around, but it did not express any shock or surprise.


    Even a merchant family and noble households would have craftsmen secretly dig a hole in their walls to build secret chambers, or build escape tunnels for emergencies.


    The imperial city inner court was no exception.


    However, Zhao Mu did not explore it immediately.


    Instead, he turned the mechanism again to move the decorative hill back,


    A secret chamber had all sorts of uses.


    For example, closed-door cultivation, storing treasures, secret meetings, or even fulfilling the special interests for some, and so on.


    It would be dangerous to enter such an important place without making preparations. What if there were dangers or his entrance caused some sort of commotion? That would be bad.


    ¡°I better wait until late night before I come over again.¡±


    Zhao Mu maintained a calm expression despite his heart being filled with anticipation.


    His life in the cold palace was boring. Any unexpected discoveries would bring him a great surprise.


    ¡°I wonder if it¡¯ll be records of divine arts, or¡­¡±


    Zhao Mu smiled. If the secret chamber was used to imprison someone, he hoped that it would not turn out to be some decrepit old man.


    Otherwise, that would be traumatizing.


    As he contemplated, he slowly departed from the desolated training chamber that was overrun with weed.


    After some calligraphy and reading, half a day passed in a blink of an eye.


    With the moon high in the sky, it had just passed midnight.


    Zhao Mu drifted by like a ghost as though he did not touch the ground. He traveled all the way there without sparking anyone¡¯s attention.


    The servants in the cold palace were either old eunuchs and maids that were clumsy or the unlucky ones that were sent there as punishment for the crimes they committed.


    Based on his observation, none of them were physically fit martial artists who trained their bodies.


    ¡°Who would¡¯ve guessed the prince who had never set foot out of the cold palace would have a fortuitous encounter of being bestowed a technique by the heavens?¡±


    Zhao Mu smirked as he approached the screen.


    He lit up the candle within his lantern with an ancient lighter and activated the mechanism he found earlier.


    The contraption connected to the secret passage made creaking sounds as the decorative hill in the corner slowly moved away, revealing the secret passage.


    ¡°In case of poisonous gas, I should wait for a bit.¡±


    Zhao Mu stood at the entrance for around 15 minutes before entering.


    Seeing the flame on his lantern did not show any changes, he felt slightly relieved and continued forward.


    There was some unpleasant old musty scent, but the airflow was smooth.


    He followed the steps downward, moving deeper into the narrow passageway.


    The oil lamps hanging on the walls were already covered in rush, probably due to lack of use over a long time.


    The huge candle as wide as one¡¯s arm had also burnt out completely, leaving only a layer of solidified wax behind.


    He followed the passage for some time before raising his head.


    Ever since he started descending down the tunnel, he had been circulating the true Qi within his body to form a protective layer to protect him from any possible traps.


    He imagined a lot of scenarios such as compacting stone walls that would squish him flat, pitfalls filled with sharp spikes, and so on.


    However, none of that happened.


    Zhao Mu was not sure if he felt relieved or disappointed.


    He channeled his strength and pushed aside the very heavy sealed door.


    Bright light filled his eyes immediately.


    It was an underground chamber made of stone!


    It was spacious and had plenty of light, devoid of any feelings of a cramped space.


    Furthermore, unlike the absolute darkness in the passageway, the excavated stone chamber had over a dozen luminescent pearls embedded in its walls, giving off a bright light.


    ¡°Was someone having closed-door cultivation here?¡±


    Zhao Mu had a surprised look on his face.


    He saw an elixir furnace that was several dozen feet high placed in the middle of the room.


    The fire within the furnace had already gone out. Its cover was covered with a thick layer of dust.


    There were several tall book racks by the walls with many books and elixirs placed on them.


    Of course, the most eye-catching thing was still the pure white jade-like coffin in the corner.


    Just as Zhao Mu entered the stone chamber, the Primordial Yang Qi hidden in his aperture were being agitated and started circulating on their own.


    Waves of extremely pure Yang Qi started streaming out of the white jade coffin and flowed into his body.


    He felt as though he was soaking in a hot spring. His body felt warm and blissful.


    The Eternal Happiness Palace was steeped in cold Qi. Whenever night fell, it would be extremely cold.


    Many eunuchs and maids that were sent there would not last several years before they die of a serious cold due to their weak physique.


    After that, they would be sent outside the imperial palace and simply buried.


    When Zhao Mu first entered the cold palace, it was also very difficult for him. It was all due to his brother sending him medicine and clothing that he barely survived.


    However, what surprised him was the moment he went down the tunnel into the stone chamber, the heavy cold chill disappeared without a trace.


    ¡°This white jade coffin is not ordinary¡­¡±


    Zhao Mu approached it and made a palm strike through the air, moving the lid of the coffin away.


    Boom!


    A wave of powerful spiritual willpower that looked down upon the living buffet against him.


    It felt as though the world around him was collapsing as that domineering will came right at him!


    It felt as though it would crush someone¡¯s spirit and destroy their physical body!


    Zhao Mu¡¯s body trembled.


    His robes vibrated and made a crackling sound!


    ¡°Such a strong will of martial arts!¡±


    He lowered his feet into a stance and remained still, not moving a single step back.


    ¡°It¡¯s even scarier and dense than Huo Rulie!¡±


    The martial will washed over him in waves like the ocean. However, it did not break Zhao Mu¡¯s mental defense.


    He even had spare energy to comment on it.


    He kept muttering the profound mantra of ¡°clear as ice, fear not the collapsing heaven¡¯ as he went up against it.


    ¡°The corpse didn¡¯t decay and the spiritual willpower didn¡¯t fade away either. It¡¯s lingering on the body¡­Spiritual Transformation? No! This is the corpse of an Innate Grandmaster!¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s eyes were filled with surprise.


    How many Innate Grandmasters were out there in the world?


    Yet there was one right there in that stone chamber!


    With the light from the luminescent pearls, he could see the nameless corpse lying within the coffin.


    The corpse was of average build and had a bronze mask on his face. He could not make out the actual appearance.


    ¡°All vital signs are completely gone. It seems like he died from failing to breakthrough at the end of his lifespan.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s eyes brightened as his gaze fell upon the dragon-shaped token that was on the corpse¡¯s robe.


    He opened his right palm and activated his true Qi.


    It produced a suction force that pulled it into his hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s made of gold in the shape of a dragon¡­It looks like the tiger token the emperor used to command the army,¡± Zhao Mu speculated.


    The nameless corpse lying within the white jade coffin must have been someone of high rank.


    His martial arts cultivation was even more terrifying.


    Even a Spiritual Transformation Expert like Huo Rulie could only imprint his spirit on paper, unable to affect the outside world and could only live in hiding.


    This person¡¯s spirit did not disperse after death, and his presence did not weaken.


    That went to show how strong he was!


    ¡°An Innate Grandmaster living up to two hundred years would be at the end of his lifespan¡­Someone from two hundred years ago. Back then, the Zhou Kingdom might not have been founded yet.¡±


    Zhao Mu kept the dragon-shaped token and then continued to examine the stone chamber.


    On the tall book racks were books detailing the secret cultivation arts of the various sects.


    As for the elixirs, just taking a whiff after opening the bottle would prove that most of them were rotten.


    ¡°Hm? There are carvings.¡±


    After a simple search, Zhao Mu noticed some text carved onto the stone wall by the side.


    The carving was done with firm and powerful strokes.


    ¡°Started cultivation in my teens, entering the Spiritual Transformation Stage at twenty-seven years of age, listed among the ranking board. I achieved the Innate Stage by sixty, becoming a grandmaster. The hundred years that followed were wasted, failing to even glimpse at the Human Immortal Stage¡­¡±


    Zhao Mu fell silent.


    Within those words, he could feel a heavy sense of sorrow.


    Achieving the Innate Grandmaster Stage by 60 years old. That talent was incredible!


    However, for the next century, he tried all kinds of methods yet was unable to move forward!


    The difficulty of martial arts was truly lamentable.


    ¡°¡­after the battle with Master Zhizhu, we¡¯re both badly wounded. I tried to use the Taiji Pure Yang Coffin to fuel my last hopes to live and reverse my mortality, rebuild Yin and Yang, and break the barrier of becoming Human Immortal!


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it will be successful, hence leaving these words behind!


    ¡°If the successors are kind enough, please cremate my corpse and place my ashes in a container. Lastly, put me to rest in the imperial tomb of Tong Province!


    ¡°Zhao Ce failed the founding emperor and will no longer be able to protect the Zhou Kingdom. It is truly regrettable!¡±


    Surname Zhao?


    Protect the Zhou Kingdom?


    Dragon-shaped commander¡¯s seal?


    Innate Grandmaster!


    ¡°Rumor has it that the Zhou Kingdom has a group of Dragon Guardians that guarded the fate of the kingdom¡­I didn¡¯t expect the Grand Commander that fought alongside the founding emperor back then had already turned into a cold corpse.¡±


    Zhao Mu let out a long sigh.


    After lamenting for some time, he suddenly recalled¡ª


    ¡°I haven¡¯t imprinted my Dao mark today. Why not do it here?!¡±

 Chapter 20 - Imperial Dragon Qi, Communication Token

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    When the thought of imprinting his Dao mark appeared in Zhao Mu¡¯s mind, the mysterious stone dial started vibrating.


    A golden glow pulsated and slowly displayed a line of text¡ª


    ¡®You¡¯ve arrived at the underground stone chamber. Acquired Imperial Dragon Qi!¡¯


    ¡®Would you like to imprint?¡¯


    Zhao Mu¡¯s eyes lit up with surprise.


    His emotions became slightly unstable.


    Imperial Dragon Qi?


    That was no ordinary thing!


    He was well-read and knew a lot of things to begin with.


    Add to that his imprinting and acquisition of Spiritual Transformation Expert Huo Rulie¡¯s martial experience, his knowledge was expanded even further.


    Regarding the Imperial Dragon Qi, it was something he had heard of.


    It was something condensed from the Purple Fortune of being the chosen one that was acknowledged by the people during the founding of the nation.


    It was not something a person without an emperor¡¯s fate could obtain.


    One should know that whenever chaos and civil war happened, the heroes of the people would have the opportunity to transform into a dragon.


    They were born special with an exceptional fate.


    According to the books on Feng Shui, they were known as ¡®hidden flood dragons¡¯.


    Each had the qualification to conquer the Divine Continent and stand tall in the Central Plain.


    Finally, when they secure the throne and rise to the peak of the nation, they would be known as a ¡®true dragon¡¯.


    By gathering the fate around them, the flood dragon would transform into a dragon.


    Apart from that, there were also subcategories of ¡®lesser python¡¯, ¡®water wyrm¡¯, and the likes.


    Under the heavens, only the true dragon could obtain the blessing of the Imperial Dragon Qi!


    Or to put it in another way, only by acquiring the Imperial Dragon Qi could a hidden flood dragon transform into a dragon!


    The two complemented each other.


    ¡°Within the Zhou Kingdom, only one person can obtain the favor of the Purple Fortune.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s gaze glowed.


    Apart from the Emperor of Zhou, even the Crown Prince who stayed in the Eastern Palace did not qualify.


    As for himself, he had managed to obtain the Imperial Dragon Qi!


    Could it be that the imperial astronomer¡¯s fortune-telling was right all along?


    Swallowing flood dragon and pythons!


    Transform into a true dragon!


    ¡°Was it my arrival that fulfilled the prophecy? Or did the imperial astronomer have the ability to predict the future?¡±


    Zhao Mu frowned his brows as he asked silently.


    Unfortunately, nobody in the stone chamber could give him the answer.


    He could only keep it to himself and think about it in the future when he can test it.


    ¡°Imprint.¡±


    Zhao Mu nodded.


    The space around him rumbled, as though a huge hole had been ripped open.


    Limitless Qi essence and vitality poured forth.


    Following the fractured space, a total of nine Dragon Qi rushed into his body.


    Its blinding lights appeared in shades of red and purple.


    Red represented fortune.


    Legend has it that it could nullify danger and bring luck, turning ill fate into good luck.


    Purple represented nobility.


    Only able to be manifested by one of great status.


    It represented power, status, and one¡¯s lineage.


    With the two combined, it gave off a faint gold color.


    That was the Imperial Dragon Qi!


    Nine bright lights swirled about above his head, then dropped straight down, forming the shape of an emperor¡¯s crown.


    It seemed as though the Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures were triggered by the Imperial Dragon Qi and had started reacting.


    The Primordial Yang Qi hidden within his body¡¯s apertures started circulating immediately, burning up on the spot as though they were true flames.


    Several hundred years of internal energy were burnt through within an instant.


    After that, it turned into waves of extremely pure and extremely powerful true Qi!


    Along with it, the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir within his chest crumbled and scattered throughout his entire body!


    A surreal feeling of unrivaled power filled up his mind.


    His pure Yang physique was complete!


    Zhao Mu quickly suppressed his lofty thoughts.


    He closed his eyes and sensed carefully.


    That body was like a crystal clear jade, pure and translucent.


    At the same time, it was like a diamond that had incomparable toughness.


    His every move would be surrounded by rings of air currents, just like the halo of a Buddha.


    It was absolutely divine!


    ¡°It actually carries its own special effects.¡±


    Zhao Mu smiled.


    At that moment, the abundant Primordial Yang Qi flowed throughout his body.


    It absorbed the Qi essence of the world around him and converted it for his own use.


    He slowly opened his eyes. His pupils had completely turned into a brilliant gold color.


    That was the sign of manifestation of one¡¯s root bone as recorded within the Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures.


    Pupils of Sun and Moon!


    After manifestation, it could capture fast action as though they were played out slowly, easily exposing all the flaws of the various martial art techniques in the world.


    They could be considered as a pair of magical eyes!


    Zhao Mu had only cultivated the Primordial Yang Qi, therefore having only the Pupil of Sun.


    Only when the Mysterious Yin Qi was successfully cultivated would the Pupil of Moon manifest itself.


    ¡°The Imperial Dragon Qi and the Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures are a perfect match.¡±


    Zhao Mu muttered the mantra to conceal his aura, concealing all the signs of his pure Yang physique and returning to his mundane appearance.


    ¡°This leader of the Dragon Guardian was well known in his life, yet his death went unnoticed.¡±


    He walked up to the Taiji Pure Yang Coffin. His vast and powerful Primordial Yang Qi transformed into a fierce true flame that enveloped the corpse that was untouched by decay.


    The terrifying heat that could melt metal immediately turned the corpse into ashes and moved them into a wooden box.


    ¡°Coincidentally, I need to head to the imperial tomb in Tong Province in three months. I¡¯ll be able to complete this request.¡±


    Zhao Mu left the ash container within the Taiji Pure Yang Coffin. The stone chamber had many martial arts records and could serve as his study.


    From then on, he would come by frequently.


    After all, the cold palace had many people and wandering eyes.


    He had to hide from the eunuchs and maids whenever he needed to practice martial arts.


    It was rather inconvenient.


    ¡°So this is a serendipitous encounter,¡± Zhao Mu said with great satisfaction.


    ¡­


    A few days later.


    Black Dragon Altar, Tianjing City.


    Outside the courtroom, there were two lions cast from refined steel placed on both sides of the gates.


    Within it, the atmosphere was oppressive and quiet.


    When asked, the uniform that nobles and ministers in the imperial court were most unwilling and terrified of seeing was not the chief ministers or the Three Lords.


    The answer would unanimously be the Black Dragon Altar.


    The mysterious koi uniform was like a nightmarish existence that was more terrifying than a ghost coming from the nether world.


    Right then¡­


    The four Guardian Commanders that caused the ministers to pale were all gathered in the same hall.


    Shadow Guardian, Zhou Wen;


    Eagle Guardian, Ji Liang;


    Wolf Guardian, Jiang Gong;


    Zhen1Guardian, Zhu Jian.


    They each took a seat.


    ¡°Eunuch Chen passed a message to have us try to figure out the location of Black Dragon Altar¡¯s master, the mysterious Grand Commander.¡±


    Wolf Guardian Commander Jiang Gong was the first to speak.


    He appeared honest and had dark skin, built like a strong farmer.


    However, his actions had always been vicious and ruthless. He was especially skilled in the art of torture.


    No matter how stubborn one was, when fallen into his hands, they would be reduced to a mud-like state, easily manipulated.


    ¡°How to find out? How long has it been since we took this position? It¡¯s not even been twenty years! How long was the master of Black Dragon Altar? He¡¯s an Innate Grandmaster, a minister that fought alongside the founding ancestor!¡± the Hawk Guardian Commander Ji Liang said to himself as he filed his nails.


    He appeared effeminate, with very womanly eyes.


    However, he was the strongest one among the four Guardian Commanders.


    Peak of the sixth Mortal Stage, Qi Refinement.


    The number of Lulin rebels that died in his hands was beyond counting!


    He was the fiercest person in the Zhou Kingdom¡¯s martial world.


    ¡°Ji Liang is right. From the founding of Black Dragon Altar up until now, how many commanders have been changed? However, the Grand Commander had always been the same! Grandmasters hardly show their faces to begin with. We don¡¯t even know what he looks like, how would we know if he¡¯s alive or not?¡±


    The Shadow Guardian Zhou Wen nodded in agreement.


    Out of the four commanders, he had the best appearance.


    He looked like a courteous scholar.


    However, if one learned of this commander, they would know that this commander loved to kill and had a violent nature.


    Along with his cultivation of martial arts from the demonic sects, it was already veering off the proper path.


    If one were to categorize Wolf Guardian Jiang Gong as a ruthless man, then the Eagle Guardian Ji Liang would be a violent man.


    Meanwhile, the Shadow Guardian Zhou Wen would fall under the category of an evil man.


    ¡°Why are you guys complaining? His Majesty gave the order. We¡¯ll have to get it done even if it cost us our lives!¡±


    The last commander, Zhen Guardian Zhu Jian bellowed.


    That person looked average without any imposing aura.


    However, after he spoke up, the entire hall fell into silence.


    The other three commanders dared not say a word, keeping to themselves, as though they were terrified of Zhu Jian, who was also a third rank officer just like them.


    That was not without reason.


    Of the four Guardians, the Shadow Guardian was in charge of intelligence.


    The Wolf Guardian was in charge of the imperial prison with the authority to arrest and interrogate.


    The Eagle Guardian was able to mobilize the riders and send in armored troops, holding the right to command the army in his hand.


    Meanwhile, the Zhen Guardian had the right to monitor the palaces, which included the Black Dragon Altar.


    Zhu Jian was allowed to face the emperor and report directly to him.


    Therefore, the other three Guardian Commanders would have some fear for him.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, can Commander Zhu tell us what we can do?¡±


    As the atmosphere turned even more solemn, the Wolf Guardian broke the awkwardness.


    ¡°Before the Grand Commander went into closed-door cultivation, he left behind three communication tokens.¡±


    Zhen Guardian Zhu Jian closed his eyes and contemplated for some time before saying, ¡°One of the tokens was used thirty years ago. Back then Phags-Pa, who was at the peak of the Spiritual Transformation Stage, made it into the ranking board by killing the Fire Lord, who just barely advanced to an Innate Grandmaster, and made a name for himself.


    ¡°The late emperor was worried and used one token to inquire about the Grand Commander¡¯s progress.


    ¡°The second token was used twenty years ago when Marquis Zhao Kai placed first in the martial arts tournament at Little Mirror Lake. His Majesty¡­did not get a reply that time.


    ¡°With the Imperial Preceptor growing stronger and the imperial court having just suffered a defeat, losing Yongxue Pass in the process, this is the critical moment that we should use the third token!¡±


    The Eagle Guardian Ji Liang continued to file his nails. A hint of a smile appeared on his effeminate face as he asked quietly, ¡°If the third token doesn¡¯t get us a reply, what then?¡±


    Zhen Guardian Zhu Jian¡¯s eyes twitched. His face tense while he said in a low voice, ¡°That means the Grand Commander has failed to break through and passed on due to old age¡­I¡¯ll personally report it to His Majesty.¡±


    Eagle Guardian Zhou Wen took out a folded fan from somewhere, flipping it open loudly, and said calmly, ¡°Commander Zhu, please.¡±


    Zhu Jian scanned his surroundings. It was obvious he came prepared.


    He took out a shell-like communication token that resembled a jade stone.


    That item was refined by the Cloud Abode using their secret techniques.


    It had the miraculous ability to communicate over long distances and could transform into a water-screen.


    It was incredibly hard to come by!


    ¡°The Grand Commander went into closed-door cultivation to the death. He planned to use the Imperial Dragon Qi and the Taiji Pure Yang Coffin to break through the barrier of the Human Immortal Stage! Therefore, he surely wouldn¡¯t have left Tianjing City.¡±


    Zhu Jian grabbed onto the communication token and declared, ¡°This item can communicate across 3 thousand miles. Whether we get a reply or not, may everyone here bear witness to this.¡±


    The other three commanders nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll start now!¡±


    Zhu Jian had a solemn expression as he cracked the exterior of the shell.


    He infused it with true Qi to activate the item.


    The communication token shimmered and formed a round mirror out of rippling waters!


    One breath!


    Two breaths!


    10 breaths later.


    The shimmering light dimmed.


    Zhu Jian who was holding onto the communication token lowered his gaze and muttered in a deadpan tone, ¡°It seems¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s communicating with me?¡±


    A calm voice rang out suddenly. It was like a lightning bolt that struck the four Guardian Commanders of Black Dragon Altar out of the blue.


    ¡ª

 Chapter 21

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Sacred Heavenly Scripture, the divine technique of the Zhou Kingdom imperial family.¡±


    Zhao Mu sat within the stone chamber with a jade scroll in his hand.


    That item came from the Cloud Abode.


    It was said to be refined using talisman arts.


    There were words, pictures, and even dancing lights within it.


    Compared to the normal scriptures recorded on papers and books, it was more life-like and easier to understand.


    ¡°The great founding ancestor of the Zhou Kingdom who conquered the lands seems to be a Spiritual Transformation Expert of the eighth Mortal Stage.¡±


    Zhao Mu was confused. With his knowledge and understanding, he could easily identify that the Sacred Heavenly Scriptures was a divine art grade martial art.


    Although the quality of its true Qi and combat power was not comparable to the Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures from the Legend of Emperors, it was still a path that allowed one to break through the barrier to the Human Immortal Stage, tearing down the limits of creation.


    ¡°This proves that the Sacred Heavenly Scriptures were not created by the Great Ancestor, but rather obtained from a fortuitous encounter,¡± Zhao Mu hypothesized.


    He felt that the Grand Commander Guardian and the Great Ancestor surely had some extraordinary relationship.


    A martial art at the divine art level could easily stir up a bloodbath if let loose in the world.


    Even the Ten Great Sects would be moved.


    Instead, the Great Ancestor of Zhou generously shared this with others.


    ¡°The Grand Commander has the surname of Zhao. I wonder if it was granted, or does he share the same bloodline with the Great Ancestor.¡±


    Zhao Mu pushed his distractions aside and continued to study the martial arts recorded within.


    The Sacred Heavenly Scriptures focused mainly on the true Qi of wind and thunder.


    The former revolves around formlessness, blending in with everything, and constantly changing.


    The latter revolves around balance, each movement shaking the heavens with its amazing strength.


    ¡°On the path of martial arts, other arts could be used to polish one¡¯s own.¡±


    Since Zhao Mu had the better Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures, he was naturally not interested in the Sacred Heavenly Scriptures.


    At least, he had no such thoughts at that moment.


    His main priority was still to break through his cultivation stage and focus on raising his strength.


    Three months was neither long nor short.


    When the time comes, he would need to overcome his situation of having his fate controlled by others.


    However, it would need to wait until he reached the eighth Mortal Stage of Spiritual Transformation.


    He needed to fuse his entire spirit and comprehension into one.


    Zhao Mu could then try to take the strengths of others for his own.


    Monk Yuankong from the Heavenly Dragon Temple once stated clearly in his Great Zen Martial Scriptures¡ª


    The true essence of martial arts was to overcome challenges and move forward without backing off.


    According to his understanding, one could learn from the predecessors, but should never be blindly copied.


    Within the Divine Continent, there were only over a dozen summits for martial arts.


    Each of them used their own method to carve a completely new path!


    ¡°Reverse the innate Qi, break away the thoughts of mortality¡­¡±


    Zhao Mu immersed himself in the world of martial arts. He would occasionally study the Sacred Heavenly Scriptures and focus his gaze on the deeply etched words on the walls.


    He tried to mimic the Grand Commander Guardian¡¯s will of martial arts and experience it from that.


    Huo Rulie was only at the eighth Mortal Stage of Spiritual Transformation, but that was sufficient to greatly boost Zhao Mu¡¯s knowledge and experience.


    If he could imprint an Innate Grandmaster¡¯s will on his heart and fully comprehend it, it would definitely be beneficial for his future on the path of martial arts.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then Black Dragon Altar doesn¡¯t belong to the emperor, but the Innate Grandmaster Zhao Ce instead.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s heart was slightly moved when he recalled the Grand Commander¡¯s identity.


    The Black Dragon altar was originally meant to guard the emperor. They were the personal army under the emperor¡¯s banner.


    It was only later on that they were separated and changed into a huge military-like organization.


    They answered directly to the emperor himself and were required to follow anyone else¡¯s orders.


    It could be said that they had the second-highest authority within the kingdom.


    After reading through the Grand Commander¡¯s notes, he learned that as long as he held the Dragon Guardian Commander Seal, he would be able to order the four Guardian Commanders of the Black Dragon Altar.


    Seeing the commander¡¯s seal was akin to seeing the emperor himself.


    ¡°For him to bestow a symbol of sovereignty onto someone else¡­¡± Zhao Mu lamented.


    From that, one could ascertain how much trust the Great Ancestor of Zhou Kingdom had in that person.


    If the Grand Commander had any nefarious plans or yearned for imperial authority, he could easily turn the kingdom overusing the Dragon Guardian Commander Seal.


    ¡°No wonder the emperor chose to back off and give away Yongxue Pass to the advances of the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s wolf riders.¡±


    Zhao Mu had an epiphany.


    The fate of the Innate Grandmaster who guarded the Zhou Kingdom was still unknown.


    Meanwhile, the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s Imperial Preceptor Phags-pa was at his peak, intimidating the rest of the world.


    Taking everything into account, the Zhou Kingdom was weak and the Yuanmeng Empire was strong.


    With that, everything made sense.


    ¡°Now that I have the Dragon Guardian Commander Seal, does that mean¡­¡±


    Zhao Mu caressed the cold dragon-shaped commander¡¯s seal in his hand as he entertained his thoughts.


    The Crown Prince had the backing of the ministers.


    The deceased Fifth Prince won the favor of the army generals.


    Meanwhile, the Ninth Prince¡¯s mother was from the Cui family of Qinghe, one of the four great families.


    Moreover, he also appeared to have the backing of the Chaos Origin Path, one of the Ten Great Sects.


    What if Zhao Mu was in control of the Black Dragon Altar?


    If so, then the three factions fighting for the throne would be nothing before him.


    ¡°The imperial authority is not eternal, and kingdoms don¡¯t last forever. Only strength¡­is ever unchanging.¡±


    Zhao Mu put the dragon-shaped commander¡¯s seal in his pockets.


    He believed that strength was power.


    In that world, one could not hold onto wealth, status, or even one¡¯s dignity without strength.


    Brute strength was better than authority!


    ¡°Nurture one¡¯s Qi, train one¡¯s body.¡±


    Zhao Mu set a goal for himself.


    He kept the jade scroll that recorded the Sacred Heavenly Scriptures, then closed the cover of the Taiji Pure Yang Coffin, and removed all traces of him being there.


    When he was preparing to leave, the bronze bowl placed on the desk suddenly let out a clear ringing sound.


    It was as though someone had just hit it.


    Zhao Mu was slightly stunned as he turned his gaze over.


    A shimmering light formed within the bronze bowl, creating a round rippling mirror surface.


    He held his breath and kept silent.


    He just saw the rippling illusory mirror, trying to find out what kind of mystery was hidden within.


    One breath.


    Two breaths.


    Ten breaths later¡­


    ¡°It seems¡­¡±


    An emotionless voice of a middle-aged man could be heard.


    Zhao Mu¡¯s brows lifted slightly, seemingly understanding what was going on.


    ¡°Communication token¡­from the Black Dragon Altar.¡±


    Before the Grand Commander went into the Taiji Pure Yang Coffin to break through the barrier to the Human Immortal Stage, he left behind several handwritten notes.


    Within it were records regarding the Black Dragon Altar, and it mentioned the three communication tokens.


    It was an emergency communication matter in case of any great danger looming over the Zhou Kingdom.


    Many thoughts raced in his mind.


    Zhao Mu collected himself, then asked in an exceedingly calm voice, ¡°Who¡¯s contacting me?¡±


    A moment of silence passed.


    Soon after, a round of surprised exclamations came from the other side.


    ¡°Grand Commander!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been twenty years! The communication token is finally being answered!¡±


    ¡°The Black Dragon Altar Guardian Commanders pay our respect to the Grand Commander!¡±


    Zhao Mu was speechless.


    He let out a long breath.


    He was right. It was the Black Dragon Altar¡¯s communication token.


    After some time, the middle-aged man¡¯s voice asked, ¡°Forgive my questioning, Grand Commander. Did you break through the barrier to the Human Immortal Stage? Was the closed door cultivation successful?


    ¡°His Majesty was constantly thinking of you and would like to meet you!¡±


    The corner of Zhao Mu¡¯s lips curled upward, then replied calmly, ¡°It wasn¡¯t successful, but I did gain something.¡±


    The thought of fighting for the throne of the Zhou Kingdom never came to him.


    In the past, it was because he had no rights. At that moment, he had no interest.


    However, the Black Dragon Altar oversees all ministers.


    Apart from the three main sects of Heavenly Dragon Temple, Cloud Abode, and Chaos Origin Path, the koi-patterned uniform and embroidered saber were extremely intimidating to the other sects.


    ¡°Whatever happens in three months, be it the Tong Province to watch over the imperial tomb, or to wander the world, the Black Dragon Altar is very helpful!¡±


    Zhao Mu had a determined look in his eyes.


    ¡°Since the Innate Grandmaster of the Zhou Kingdom no longer exists, then let me use your identity to do my thing.¡±

 Chapter 22 - Suppressing Eagle And Wolf

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Unsuccessful but gained something?


    Within the Black Dragon Altar¡¯s courtroom, the four Guardian Commanders fell into silence and had puzzled looks.


    Phags-pa from the Great Boundless Palace had achieved the Innate Grandmaster Stage for 10 years and reached its peak.


    With that, he was already akin to a living Buddha, uniting the various tribes of the great plains and ruling over them with his martial arts.


    The Zhou Kingdom¡¯s silence over the loss of Yongxue Pass was mainly because of this person¡¯s existence.


    After all, if the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s Imperial Preceptor set his heart and was willing to bear the huge losses, they would be able to move northward all the way to Tianjing City.


    By then, who would be able to hold him off?


    Not having an Innate Grandmaster on the imperial court¡¯s side was a critical issue for the Zhou Kingdom.


    Due to the lack of combat power of someone at the peak of the world of martial arts, they had nothing to rely on.


    ¡°Congratulations, Grand Commander! If His Majesty hears of this, he will surely be overjoyed!¡± Zhen Guardian Commander Zhu Jian exclaimed quickly.


    It sounded sincere and filled with joy.


    The Grand Commander was a top expert from the era of Master Zhizhu, the previous living Buddha of the Great Boundless Palace.


    If he had fought the master, then he should have no fear for the disciple.


    ¡°This is truly something worth celebrating, but there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand. Forgive my bold question, but the Grand Commander had been in closed door cultivation for such a long time. Could it be that you didn¡¯t receive the second communication token¡¯s call?¡±


    The Eagle Guardian Commander Ji Liang finished polishing his nail and blew softly over it.


    ¡°Over the years, His Majesty ordered the Black Dragon Altar to go on an all-out search. We¡¯re just shy of uprooting the entire Tianjing City.¡±


    The lively atmosphere in the Black Dragon Altar immediately turned solemn.


    All those present were experienced men who spent a long time in the world of martial arts and the imperial court.


    They did not miss the skepticism hidden within Ji Liang¡¯s words.


    The Grand Commander had gone into closed door cultivation for many years. His sudden appearance was undeniably suspicious.


    However, due to the other party¡¯s status and powerful martial arts cultivation, none dared to voice their suspicions straight away.


    ¡°We¡¯re relieved now that the Grand Commander is out of closed door cultivation.¡±


    The Wolf Guardian Commander Jiang Gong let out a clear laugh, trying to ease the tension, and said, ¡°Commander Ji Liang is too blunt with his words. The Grand Commander was breaking through the barrier to the Human Immortal Stage. How could he be distracted by insignificant matters?¡±


    However, the seemingly dull person who looked like a farmer changed his tone suddenly and asked, ¡°His Majesty still thinks dearly of the Grand Commander and had asked us of the Black Dragon Altar if we have any clues.¡±


    ¡°Now that the Grand Commander is out of closed door cultivation, can we know where you¡¯re at? I¡¯ll immediately head over to prepare a proper welcome, ¡± the Eagle Guardian Commander chimed in with the Wolf Guardian Commander.


    They were singing praises while probing.


    The mysterious Grand Commander Guardian had been in closed door cultivation for 34 years, with only one reply in between.


    Since then, there was no more news.


    Those in the know, from the Emperor of Zhou to the four Guardian Commanders, all felt that the other party had probably failed the attempt and turned into a dried-up skeleton.


    As Huo Rulie had said, achieving the Innate Grandmaster Stage required some extraordinary luck.


    To break through the barrier of the Human Immortal Stage, one must have talent, wealth, and fortuitous encounters.


    Since ancient times, the number of famous Human Immortals recorded in books and records was not more than the digits of a pair of hands.


    That was a testament to its difficulty!


    Therefore, nobody thought that the Grand Commander Guardian could break through the barrier and reverse his mortality.


    ¡°You two¡­what are your names?¡± A clear and calm sound came from the communication token.


    It did not answer the question from the two commanders but questioned them instead.


    ¡°Eagle Guardian Commander Ji Liang, one of the four Guardian Commanders of Black Dragon Altar.¡±


    ¡°Wolf Guardian Commander Jiang Gong, one of the four Guardian Commanders of Black Dragon Altar.¡±


    Both replied separately.


    ¡°I¡¯ve not heard of you,¡± the Grand Commander Guardian replied calmly.


    ¡°What of Su Xiao, Qian Ti, Zheng Zhong, and Luo Xin? Are they still alive?¡±


    Hearing those names, the veins on Zhen Guardian Commander Zhu Jian¡¯s forehead popped up. His face turned solemn.


    That was because those four were the first Eagle, Wolf, Shadow, and Zhen Guardian Commanders when the Black Dragon Altar was founded.


    To that day, their portraits were still being hung inside Skyward Pavilion within the imperial city, ranked among the 24 heroes of the Zhou Kingdom.


    ¡°The four seniors have passed on.¡±


    Zhen Guardian Commander Jiang Gong replied.


    ¡°What about Song Li, Du Yi, Wu Lian, and Zhang Chi? Are they deceased too?¡±


    The Grand Commander nonchalantly brought out four more names.


    Within the Black Dragon Altar¡¯s courtroom, the four commanders felt slightly stunned while listening.


    Those names were their predecessors and masters.


    They were the four Commander Guardians of the previous generation.


    The Grand Commander Guardian¡¯s intentions were clear.


    The four Guardian Commanders were not qualified to question him.


    He held the Dragon Guardian Commander Seal in hand and would be in direct control of the Black Dragon Altar.


    Even their predecessors and masters would have to obey him.


    ¡°Our masters aren¡¯t at the level of the Grand Commander where one could analyze Yin and Yang, achieving immortality,¡± the Eagle Guardian Commander Ji Liang retorted softly.


    The doubts in his heart were still present as he felt that things were off.


    ¡°There¡¯s no point talking about immortality with a physical body.¡±


    The Grand Commander replied quietly, as though lamenting. He then added, ¡°I don¡¯t plan to see His Majesty immediately.


    ¡°There are still some unsolved problems in my cultivation. I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll have to go into closed door cultivation again.¡±


    Ji Liang¡¯s expression turned cold as his doubts grew stronger. He asked in a deep voice, ¡°His Majesty decreed to have us invite you over to meet him in the imperial city once we have any news from you. If the Grand Commander doesn¡¯t go, that would be going against an imperial decree!¡±


    The Wolf Guardian Commander Jiang Gong chuckled and chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s right, Grand Commander. Please not make His Majesty wait!¡±


    The liquid-like mirror that manifested from the communication token made a gentle ripple.


    A figure suddenly appeared.


    He was wearing black robes and had long loose hair.


    The figure was rather tall and stood straight.


    There was a bronze mask on his face, preventing others from seeing it clearly other than his deep and calm gaze.


    The gaze seemed to pierce through the space between them and watched them up close.


    Boom!


    It felt as though the Grand Commander Guardian was there in person.


    A mighty, terrible, and all-encompassing will descended upon them, enveloping the Eagle and Wolf Guardian Commanders!


    ¡°This is?!¡±


    Eagle Guardian Ji Liang and Wolf Guardian Jiang Gong¡¯s expressions changed suddenly as their minds felt shaken.


    It felt as though a huge mountain fell upon them and locked down the airflow within the area.


    They found it difficult to even breathe, much less take action.


    ¡°Is that the divine art passed down among the Zhou Kingdom¡¯s imperial family, the Sacred Heavenly Scriptures?!¡±


    Ji Liang had the highest martial arts cultivation among the four Guardian Commanders of Black Dragon Altar.


    Sixth Mortal Stage, peak of Qi Refinement Stage.


    He was only one step away from breaking through.


    ¡°He¡¯s separated by space. How can he possibly kill me?!¡±


    Feeling the oppression from the martial will, Ji Liang¡¯s legs started buckling as though he was about to kneel.


    His eyes turned red, as though filled with blood.


    The hundred years of true Qi he nurtured through hard work poured out like a broken dam.


    Tssss!


    The airflow let out a sharp whistling sound!


    It was like the wails and howls of evil spirits, making it extraordinarily scary!


    ¡®Ji Liang practiced the Reverse Yang True Scriptures. It¡¯s a mysterious art that reverses the Qi flow and transforms Yin to Yang energy!¡¯ Zhen Guardian Zhu Jian thought to himself while he frowned deeply, standing outside the area affected by the martial will.


    ¡®Although his true Qi seems ferocious, Yin Qi is hidden within his Yang Qi, having a shred of softness within the firmness. Coming in contact with it will cause one¡¯s Qi to freeze up and reverse its flow! It¡¯s extremely vicious!¡¯


    ¡®If¡­the Grand Commander was not as powerful as legend describes him to be, he might not be able to suppress Ji Liang.¡±


    The communication token covered a range of 1500 kilometers.


    The Grand Commander Guardian was hidden somewhere for his closed door cultivation.


    Separated by the great distance, his martial will hung onto that shred of Qi flow.


    Crossing such a great distance would strain it to the limits!


    It would be impossible for him to suppress an expert at the Qi Refinement Stage.


    ¡°Break!¡±


    Ji Liang¡¯s expression twisted. He gritted his teeth and moved his century¡¯s worth of true Qi.


    Balls of illusory lights came out from his body as though he was a blood-red sun.


    The manifestation of that phenomenon immediately helped the Eagle Guardian Commander to feel more relaxed.


    It felt as if he broke free from the shackles binding him!


    ¡°You¡¯re new members and have never worked with me. Understandably, you don¡¯t know my behavior yet.


    ¡°The thing I hate the most is to have someone boss me around.


    ¡°Considering that it¡¯s your first offense and for His Majesty¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll spare you this time.


    ¡°Remember this! There will be no second chances!¡±


    The Grand Commander¡¯s voice sounded like it had descended from the high heavens.


    It echoed all around them.


    The group only heard a thundering boom.


    The terrible and torrential true Qi felt as though the river of the nine heavens poured straight down, transforming into a fiery ball that descended upon them!


    It was a terrifying force that could not be blocked!


    Ji Liang¡¯s vast true Qi that he spent a hundred years of hard work cultivating was just like a weak cinder.


    Before it could even light up, it was swallowed by the massive fireball without making the slightest change.


    Ji Liang¡¯s eyes popped open, unable to believe his experience.


    His shoulders felt like they were pressed down by a huge mountain.


    Waves of true flame that burned through his internal organs started spreading across his entire body.


    Ji Liang gritted his teeth, as though struggling internally.


    He managed to hold out for three breaths.


    After that, his legs buckled and his knees landed heavily on the hard brick floor with a thunk.


    He was brought to his knees!

 Chapter 23 - Calm Heart Fears No Calamity

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    He was a great Guardian Commander of the Black Dragon Altar who instilled fear into valiant fighters.


    The moment his knees hit the ground before that illusory figure, several bricks on the ground were crushed.


    ¡°Grand Commander, please have mercy!¡±


    Upon witnessing that, the Wolf Guardian Jiang Gong quickly prostrated himself and bowed his head.


    The plain-looking, dark-skinned commander who looked like a farmhand knelt decisively.


    There was no hesitation in him, nor did he care for his dignity.


    One should know, within the Zhou Kingdom, only the emperor himself could have the commander of the Black Dragon Altar pay such respect.


    Right then, faced with an angered Innate Grandmaster, their dignity was not something for them to worry about.


    ¡°Commander Jiang is quite the sensible person.¡±


    The Grand Commander replied slowly. Even if it was through the communication token, they could hear the sarcastic undertone in his words.


    Shadow Guardian Zhou Wen and Zhen Commander Zhu Jian quickly looked away, as though they were disgusted by Jiang Gong¡¯s lack of courage.


    Meanwhile, Jiang Gong himself seemed perfectly normal without any hint of shame.


    He did not feel anything wrong with him following his heart.


    Even Ji Liang, who was at the peak of the Sixth Mortal Stage of Qi Refinement could not resist.


    He was fully suppressed by the Grand Commander Guardian without any hopes of resistance.


    If it was the personal visit of an Innate Grandmaster, then it would be understandable.


    After all, the difference was of several stages. He could be able to kill them easily with a single snap.


    However, due to the communication token, there was only a shred of Qi that flowed through, yet he was able to send his martial will across the distance.


    Even without him taking action, that horrifyingly massive amount of true Qi on him was sufficient to suppress Ji Liang, who was at the peak of Qi Refinement Stage to the point of submission.


    The ferocity and approach were horrifying!


    ¡°The martial will of a Spiritual Transformation Stage is truly scary!¡±


    Shadow Guardian Commander Zhou Wen held tightly to the folded fan in hand, feeling flustered.


    Seeing Ji Liang forced to the ground helplessly, he could not help but feel some sympathy for him.


    As all of them knew, the Eagle Guardian Commander cared about his dignity most.


    However, looking at the situation, Ji Liang could only quietly swallow his pride and suffer the humiliation.


    In fact, he dared not harbor any thoughts of vengeance nor complaints.


    That was because the other party was an Innate Grandmaster, one of the few at the peak of the world!


    ¡°Ji Liang and Jiang Gong had been disrespectful toward the Grand Commander!¡±


    Seeing both his coworkers either kneeling or kowtowing, the Zhen Guardian Commander Zhu Jian forced himself to speak up.


    Nobody knew how the Grand Commander Guardian, who had achieved an unimaginable cultivation level, would react in that situation.


    If he suddenly struck out to kill Ji Liang and Jiang Gong in anger, then it would be bad.


    His Majesty would surely not punish an Innate Grandmaster over the death of two Black Dragon Altar Guardian Commanders.


    Instead, he would only blame the Black Dragon Altar for lack of respect and consideration for the grand scheme of things.


    By then, he would be trapped between the emperor and the Grand Commander, making his life difficult.


    With that, Zhu Jian quickly bent over and held his hands in a greeting posture, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll surely put in a complaint about them to His Majesty after tomorrow¡¯s morning court!


    ¡°Grand Commander, please show mercy. Don¡¯t mind their pettiness.¡±


    The Grand Commander chuckled, then said, ¡°Be strict and avoid bigger mistakes. I won¡¯t pursue this matter.


    ¡°They¡¯re only trying to help His Majesty out of loyalty.¡±


    Hearing that, Zhu Jian let out a sigh of relief.


    It seems the Grand Commander had an aloof character.


    Zhu Jian shot an angry look at Ji Liang. He then gripped the communication token in his hand and looked toward the Shadow Guardian Commander Wen Zhou.


    The latter seemed to come to an understanding as his fan flapped less strongly.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he suddenly said, ¡°Grand Commander, you¡¯ve just come out of closed door cultivation and don¡¯t wish to be disturbed. It¡¯s perfectly understandable.


    ¡°However, His Majesty did order us to pass you a message once we get in contact with you. The Taiji Pure Yang Coffin¡­can you return it to the imperial family?¡±


    The hall fell silent for some time.


    Ji Liang and Jiang Gong who suspected the Grand Commander as an impostor were just kneeling on the floor.


    Meanwhile, Ji Liang¡¯s condition didn¡¯t seem to be well as his face was flushed red as though being burnt.


    He did not even have the strength to talk.


    Nobody knew how that true Qi had such a domineering quality.


    ¡°Why would His Majesty want the Taiji Pure Yang Coffin?¡±


    The Grand Commander¡¯s sound rang out softly through the communication token.


    ¡°The Crown Prince had been infected with evil Qi since young and it affected his foundation, causing him to suffer many delays in his Foundation Establishment Stage. Only the Taiji Pure Yang Coffin can cure his condition,¡± Zhu Jian answered honestly.


    ¡°So that¡¯s the reason, ¡± the Grand Commander replied casually as though hit with an epiphany. He then said, ¡°Go pass a message to His Majesty that I still need the Taiji Pure Yang Coffin for something else. I won¡¯t be able to return it right now. Please have the Crown Prince wait a while.¡±


    Zhu Jian¡¯s mouth twitched. He almost lost his composure as he started cursing in his mind.


    Let the Crown Prince wait!


    If anyone else said those words, they would surely be punished for contempt for the imperial family and have their entire family exiled!


    Furthermore, that was clearly disobeying the emperor¡¯s decree.


    Disobedience, unauthorized possession of prized treasure, and refusal to return.


    If it were any other Zhou Kingdom nobles, those serious felonies would be sufficient to have their entire family executed.


    However, could the emperor¡¯s will be carried out on an Innate Grandmaster?


    Zhu Jian put on a forced smile.


    The answer was obvious.


    Wen Zhou stopped his fanning motion as he bowed lightly, not daring to say anything else.


    Zhu Jian clammed up straight away as though nothing happened.


    For some time, the Black Dragon Altar¡¯s courtroom hall was dead silent.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want to say?¡± The Grand Commander asked softly.


    Zhu Jian took a deep breath.


    The communication token was a disposable item and could only be maintained for 30 minutes.


    It was a rare item that would be destroyed after use.


    To make sure it was not wasted, the Zhen Guardian Commander spoke at high speed.


    He picked the more important things to notify the Grand Commander Guardian.


    For example, the battle of Yongxue Pass and the Imperial Preceptor Phags-Pa.


    ¡°The Great Boundless Palace¡­ Back then Master Zhizhu invaded our kingdom and tried to kill the emperor.


    ¡°Now, his disciple has yet to give up and tries to test our limits.


    ¡°On the day of my success, I will surely head to the great plains and settle this matter!¡±


    The Grand Commander, who spoke slowly with a calm tone all the while, seemed to be enraged.


    Zhu Jian was just about to put in a few words on their common enemy when he heard a cracking sound. The communication token in his hand had broken.


    The shimmering light dispersed into nothingness.


    The high and mighty figure disappeared along with it.


    ¡­


    ¡°Calm heart fears no calamity¡­¡±


    ¡°All changes are set, calm the mind¡­¡±


    Seated within the stone chamber, Zhao Mu finally relaxed his mind. He no longer maintained the intimidating presence.


    His entire body felt drained of energy. He swayed around slightly, but still managed to steady himself.


    ¡°Fortunately I have this Icy Heart Mantra.¡±


    Zhao Mu took off the bronze mask from his face and spent some time recuperating himself to peak condition.


    The past few days, he had been studying the Sacred Heavenly Scripture and the Grand Commander¡¯s martial will.


    Add to that the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir he digested previously, all that resulted in his body having a total of 500 years worth of accumulated true Qi.


    Along with the Frozen Heart Mantra, he created a cold and distant persona of a grandmaster.


    For all those reasons, he managed to toy with the four Guardian Commanders of the Black Dragon Altar.


    ¡°With the Grand Commander¡¯s identity, it¡¯ll be much easier for me to do things.¡±


    Zhao Mu touched the bronze mask on the table.


    It would be a pipe dream for a regular person to impersonate an Innate Grandmaster.


    However, he had the help of Sacred Heavenly Scripture, Frozen Heart Mantra, and other divine arts.


    Add to it the words etched on the walls, he could study and experience the Grand Commander Guardian¡¯s martial will.


    Borrowing his identity was something he could pull off with a rather high probability.


    ¡°I should¡¯ve realized that the Frozen Heart Mantra was special considering that it was a martial art passed down by Nie Feng¡¯s family where it could even suppress the demonic energy from Qilin blood and dragon essence.¡±


    Zhao Mu did not pay it any heed when he acquired that mantra.


    Up until that moment, when his understanding of martial arts grew, he finally realized the miraculous benefits of the Frozen Heart Mantra.


    Suppress the mind and keep it still.


    Regulate one¡¯s Qi and focus one¡¯s intent.


    Each time he practiced, he only needed to recite the mantra.


    It would help him enter an extremely rational state devoid of emotions.


    ¡°I must use this more in my future martial arts practice,¡± Zhao Mu said after experiencing its benefits.

 Chapter 24

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Four hours later, within the imperial library¡­


    ¡°Is that what the Grand Commander said?¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou frowned as he looked down.


    ¡°I dare not lie!¡±


    Zhen Guardian Commander Zhu Jian, who had the right to personally meet with the emperor, did not wait for the next morning.


    He immediately informed the emperor and waited outside the imperial city.


    As expected, upon hearing that it was related to the Grand Commander Guardian, the emperor immediately summoned him.


    ¡°Chaoen, what do you think?¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou curled his fingers and tapped rhythmically on the desk.


    His face did not show any obvious displeasure, but just a hint of doubt in his eyes.


    Since the Grand Commander had come out of closed door cultivation, why was he unwilling to meet with him in person?


    With a bow, the old eunuch who stayed by the emperor¡¯s side like a shadow asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°The Grand Commander might be contemplating on the secrets of martial arts. He might not want to meet others in fear of distractions at the critical stage of breaking through the barrier to the Human Immortal Stage.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou nodded lightly, seemingly agreeing with that theory.


    He knew the Innate Grandmasters were in tune with the heavens.


    They could vaguely sense the ever-elusive ¡®heaven¡¯s will¡¯.


    Because of that, they would occasionally act strangely.


    ¡°It¡¯s good news for the Zhou Kingdom as long as the Grand Commander is alive.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou sighed. He looked at the memorials to the throne from various provinces and found it difficult to hide the worried look on his face.


    He would occasionally imagine if the world did not have so many martial arts experts, would he be an honorable emperor remembered by future generations?


    Would the Zhou Kingdom¡¯s fortune remain for millennia to come, holding its power forever?


    ¡°The Taiji Pure Yang Coffin¡­¡±


    Zhen Guardian Commander Zhu Jian said quietly with his head lowered.


    ¡°Zhao¡¯er has already been delayed for such a long time, a little longer won¡¯t matter.¡± The Emperor of Zhou waved.


    He was still rational enough to prioritize between an Innate Grandmaster¡¯s breakthrough and his son¡¯s foundation establishment.


    ¡°Moreover, Zhao¡¯er¡¯s talent is average. I¡¯ve never expected him to be like the Great Ancestor to reach the eighth Mortal Stage of Spiritual Transformation.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou had a regretful look in his eyes.


    He was not blessed with any talent for martial arts.


    Ever since his ascension to the throne, he was preoccupied with governance and neglected his martial arts.


    Even when he had access to various resources, he was only at the fourth Mortal Stage of Circulation.


    Thinking back, the Great Ancestor used to rely on his great martial arts cultivation and personally led his personal army into the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s troops, taking down their generals and commanders.


    Just how glorious it was!


    Unfortunately, he had to choose between his cultivation stage and the rights to the throne in the end.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I think the phenomenon of the Sun and Moon sharing the same sky with the vast expanse must be due to the Grand Commander¡±


    Chaoen smiled with his eyes hidden behind the wrinkles on his face and said, ¡°Only an Innate Grandmaster can hide from my Heaven Vision Technique, and only the Grand Commander can utilize the Imperial Dragon Qi.¡±


    The emperor of Zhou nodded slowly, agreeing with Chaoen¡¯s speculation.


    The heavy burden in his heart finally went away.


    ¡°Zhu Jian, you¡¯ve talked to the Grand Commander personally using the communication token.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou with white in his side locks put on an aged demeanor.


    He looked straight at the Zhen Guardian Commander of the Black Dragon Altar who stood with his hands by his side and asked, ¡°During that time, did you notice anything suspicious?¡±


    The Grand Commander had lived too long, and disappeared for an extended time.


    Few people in the Zhou Kingdom had seen his true face.


    Only a few paintings were passed down.


    Now that he suddenly made an appearance, others would surely be suspicious.


    ¡°Your Majesty. Ji Liang and Jiang Gong tried to test him.¡±


    Zhu Jian had a pained smile on his face.


    He recalled the Grand Commander crossing through space with his martial will using that strand of Qi flow from the communication token.


    For some time, he did not know how to describe it with words.


    ¡°How did it turn out?¡± The Emperor of Zhou asked.


    Testing an Innate Grandmaster must have cost them dearly.


    ¡°Ji Liang was immediately suppressed by the Grand Commander¡¯s martial will and landed on his knees. All his true Qi had been burnt through and he suffered rather serious injuries,¡± Zhu Jian replied honestly.


    ¡°As for Jiang Gong, he acted smartly and did not suffer much.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou¡¯s expression turned slightly cold and asked, ¡°Was the martial arts the Grand Commander used the Sacred Heavenly Scriptures?¡±


    Zhu Jian nodded and said, ¡°Form the martial will manifested, it was indeed the Sacred Heavenly Scriptures.¡±


    The emperor let out a sigh of relief, then mumbled quietly, ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Under the heavens, only the Grand Commander Guardian could suppress the four Guardian Commanders of Black Dragon Altar and execute the Sacred Heavenly Scriptures at the same time.


    Up to that moment, the Emperor of Zhou finally was able to relax.


    He waved his hand, indicating for Zhu Jian to leave.


    ¡°Your Majesty, you can finally relax and not worry about an invasion from the Imperial Preceptor of the Yuanmeng Empire.¡±


    Chen Chaoen opened a sandalwood box and took a small piece of priceless Agarwood incense that could calm one¡¯s heart.


    ¡°We can¡¯t be blindly optimistic.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou shook his head with a tired expression on his face.


    ¡°Phags-pa is currently oppressing the world and at his peak. His martial arts cultivation had long surpassed his master, Master Zhizhu!


    ¡°The Grand Commander is near the end of his lifespan. His Qi must be weakening. Even if he came out of closed door cultivation today, he might not be the match of that Vajrayana monk before he breaks through the barrier to the Human Immortal Stage.¡±


    Chen Chaoen chuckled, then comforted, ¡°At the level of an Innate Grandmaster, fame and fortune are nothing in their eyes.


    ¡°They only want to move forward to refine the perfect body and live on for five centuries.


    ¡°Phags-pa¡¯s willingness to be the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s Imperial Preceptor and unite the various divisions of the plains is for the millennium-old heritage of the Great Boundless Sect and¡­to support the birth of a barbarian king to take over the Divine Continent!


    ¡°Your Majesty, in the past millennium, the empires of the plains had never managed to invade the Divine Continent and usurp its sovereignty.


    ¡°If Phags-pa manages to pull that off, relying on his spiritual will and the support from the fate of the world, he would surely break through the barrier to the Human Immortal Stage in one go!


    ¡°However, how would such a great feat be done so easily?


    ¡°If Phags-pa dares to let the barbarians of the plains enter the Central Plain, he would surely cause the Six Sacred Grounds to retaliate together. He wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±


    Hearing Chen Chaoen¡¯s explanation, the Emperor of Zhou finally relaxed a little.


    ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m old. The older I get, the more I worry, the more I fear death.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou threw aside a memorandum detailing the rebellion in Yi Province and said while shaking his head, ¡°In the past, even if I had to consult my ministers for an entire day and go through paperwork for an entire night, I wouldn¡¯t feel tired.


    ¡°But now, I can¡¯t do it anymore. I¡¯m feeling drained.¡±


    Chen Chaoen¡¯s expression turned into one of shock as he exclaimed, ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s health is at its prime. You mustn¡¯t say such things!¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou pointed at the shocked old eunuch and laughed, ¡°What need is there to keep the formalities between us?¡±


    After that, he seemed to have realized that he had been overly pessimistic.


    With a change of tone, he added, ¡°Half a month later, the Yuanmeng ambassador will bring their envoy into the capital. With the Grand Commander behind our backs, I¡¯ll feel a lot more at ease.¡±


    Chen Chaoen nodded, but his heart thought about how they just used the last communication token without finding out the location of the Grand Commander¡¯s closed door cultivation.


    Even if the Yuanmeng ambassador¡¯s envoy showed any disrespect or picked a fight, how would they contact the Grand Commander to have him take action?


    However, looking at the emperor¡¯s complexion, the eunuch in charge of the Ceremonial Directorate could only quietly suppress his thoughts.


    ¡­


    Ergune River banks, Yuanmeng Plains¡­


    Between heaven and earth, there was a black torrent cutting through the lands.


    A rare sight of a sea of flags fluttering in the wind, creating a mighty phenomenon.


    Looking into the distance, one could see a huge white army banner made with fur symbolizing unrivaled authority raised high.


    Taichiud Khan, the ruler of this plain, sat atop a horse quietly as though waiting for something.


    Several minutes later, a powerfully built man approached them walking across the water.


    That person had a horrible appearance, thick strong arms with green and black tattoos.


    Looking carefully, the tattoos were of two scary-looking pythons.


    Between the bulging muscles, they appeared alive, as though picking a prey to swallow.


    ¡°Is the King of Yakshas the one leading this envoy to the Zhou Kingdom?¡± Taichiud Khan¡¯s gaze remained firm and unchanged, asking in a firm voice.


    He recognized the intimidating man. That person was Moro, King of Yakshas from the Great Boundless Palace¡¯s Eight Divisions.


    ¡°Your mighty Khan, there¡¯s another person!¡±


    The huge man-made a long whistle and walked through the roiling river alone without any signs of exhaustion.


    The length of his breath and his levity skills were awe-inspiring.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Taichiud Khan asked.


    ¡°I am Gandharva of the Eight Divisions, paying my respects to the Khan.¡±


    A gentle and melodious drifted over.


    Atop the water¡¯s surface, a slender and charming figure appeared.


    She wore a red Tibetan monk robe and had a Buddhist crown over her head. Her body was also adorned with several keyuras, gemstones, and other trinkets.


    Her hands gently plucked her zither and played a tune.


    The army organized itself and the chariots got into formation.


    The appearance of the stunningly beautiful and outstanding musician immediately dispersed some of the killing intent in the atmosphere.


    Although Taichiud Khan was in his forties, had an intimidating presence and the air of a lord, his gaze could not help but waver a little.


    ¡°Did the Living Buddha only send you both?¡±


    Upon smelling the undetectable scent given off by Gandharva, Taichiud Khan almost felt his lust stir and fall to her charms.


    He quickly looked away and barely resisted his urges, keeping his composure.


    Gandharva was a heavenly musician worshipped by people.


    In terms of appearance and physical beauty, she was definitely among the best in the world.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    Moro, the King of Yakshas¡¯ voice rolled out like thunder, echoing within the vicinity.


    ¡°We won¡¯t sully the name of the Great Boundless Palace, nor would we bring shame to the Khan!


    ¡°Those in the Zhou Kingdom are naturally weak and cowardly. They will eventually submit themselves before the iron boots of the men of the plains!¡±


    Taichiud Khan nodded slowly, then looked skyward and said, ¡°Under the watchful eye of the Eternal Heaven, the chariots of the Yuanmeng Empire will definitely win all our battles, take over the Central Plain, and rule over the Divine Continent!¡±

 Chapter 25

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    News of the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s ambassador envoy entering the capital had spread across the entire Zhou Kingdom in a short time.


    The Three Great Sects of Heavenly Dragon Temple, Cloud Abode, and Chaos Origin Path did not react to it. Instead, they just watched on the sidelines.


    The relationship between the sects and the kingdom had always been special.


    It was neither good nor bad, with things maintaining a balanced state.


    There were conflicts of interests and territorial fights between factions that could not be solved in a short time.


    However, after the battle of Yongxue Pass, the Zhou Kingdom showed weakness and the Yuanmeng Empire had the upper hand.


    This time, with an envoy into the capital, it could be seen as some form of signal or test.


    Many were watching, trying to analyze what the Imperial Preceptor of the Yuanmeng Empire planned.


    A few days later, at the Black Dragon Altar courtroom¡­


    Shadow Guardian Commander Zhou Wen passed a stack of intelligence reports and laid them across the desk, saying, ¡°The two leading the envoy into the capital are both leaders of the Eight Divisions from the Great Boundless Palace.


    ¡°The fierce-looking muscled man is called Moro, the King of Yakshas. He¡¯s at the seventh Mortal Stage, the Titan Stage.


    ¡°He practices the Vajrayana martial arts of Seven Chakra Diamond Scriptures. It focuses heavily on the training of the physical body. He is very well trained in respect to brute strength.


    ¡°Rumor has it that this person has immense strength. One day, he was blocked on his way out of the city and threw an elephant aside using his bare hands, which created quite the story around him.¡±


    The pale and weak Eagle Guardian Commander Ji Liang frowned deeply and said, ¡°If he¡¯s capable of throwing an elephant, then his strength is not to be taken lightly!¡±


    As the person with the highest cultivation stage among the four Guardian Commanders, he naturally knew how terrible that strength was like.


    Someone at his cultivation stage would probably die after receiving one punch.


    ¡°The Vajrayana cultivation method is different from those in the Divine Continent¡¯s Central Plain,¡± the Wolf Guardian Commander Jiang Gong added.


    ¡°If the King of Yakshas opened all seven of his chakras, he would be nigh indestructible. He¡¯s among the top experts even within the Great Boundless Palace.¡±


    The martial arts of the Divine Continent revolved around training one¡¯s muscles, skin, and bones to thoroughly train the body to develop its potential.


    It then moves onto the profound stage of refining one¡¯s apertures and spirit.


    The Vajrayana method was different. They would only cultivate one¡¯s meridians and chakra, nurturing one¡¯s life force.


    Unblocking the seven chakras to be indestructible.


    Connecting the three meridians to be one with the world.


    The legendary Imperial Preceptor was at the stage where his seven chakras were opened and two meridians connected.


    He was only one final step away before reaching enlightenment.


    ¡°The other one, the Gandharva, is the only female master in the Great Boundless Palace.¡±


    The Shadow Guardian Commander then continued, ¡°We have little information on her. By my guess, she should be at the sixth Mortal Stage of Qi Refinement, just one stage lower than the King of Yakshas.


    ¡°However, the martial art practiced by the Gandharva is extremely strange. We must be careful.


    ¡°This woman can charm one¡¯s mind and trigger one¡¯s lust in imperceptibly mysterious ways!¡±


    The few talked as they perused the intelligence reports, going through all the information they had on those two people.


    After a moment, the Zhen Guardian Commander Zhu Jian slammed on the table and declared coldly, ¡°They¡¯re up to no good. The Yuanmeng Empire is really set in their ways!¡±


    If the two of them were treated as rebels, the Black Dragon Altar could do whatever they wished to them.


    They could use ranged weapons and iron chariots to charge at them, wearing them down to their last breath.


    In that aspect, the cavalry under the Eagle Guardian¡¯s wing was very well experienced.


    As long as one was willing to sacrifice enough lives, there would always be a chance of success even if the opponent was an expert at the Spiritual Transformation Stage.


    However, the other party came over as an ambassador envoy, which affected the alliance between the two nations.


    For such a serious matter, they could not act rashly.


    ¡°I just received news that the ambassador envoy had entered Yongxue Pass three days ago. They¡¯re on the way to the Sixteen Prefectures and Yan and Yun, and will arrive Tianjing City in half a month.¡±


    The Shadow Guardians under Zhou Wen¡¯s command were in charge of reconnaissance and had an excellent information network.


    Along the way, spies and scouts were keeping a close eye on the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s ambassador envoy.


    ¡°So fast?¡±


    The Wolf Guardian Commander Ji Liang was rather surprised.


    From the borders to Tianjing City, it would take them at least one month even when pushing the horses at full speed.


    Moreover, with a large number of people in the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s ambassador envoy, it should slow the journey further.


    ¡°The Great Boundless Palace tamed a type of huge monster bird called the Spiritual Vulture. It can be ridden and flies at great speed,¡± explained the Shadow Guardian Commander Zhou Wen.


    ¡°The loss of Yongxue Pass was due to their wolf riders flying in on Spiritual Vultures to open the gates, then launching a surprise attack.¡±


    The Zhen Guardian Commander Zhu Jian had also heard of the matter. He swept a glance at Ji Liang, who had the highest martial arts cultivation among them.


    In terms of raw power, the four commanders of the Black Dragon Altar might not be able to fend off the leaders of the Eight Division from the Great Boundless Palace.


    They were an official martial cultivation sect while the Black Dragon Altar side were imperial court ministers.


    It was only normal for them to have a difference in power.


    However, ministers in the government would always favor managerial abilities and authority.


    As for the personal cultivation stage, it was not so important.


    ¡°I¡¯ll invite the head of the Heavenly Dragon Temple¡¯s Prajna Hall, Master Yuanhui; The eldest disciple of the Cloud Abode, Song Qingshan, nicknamed Thunder Sword; The Sect Master of Lianyun Mountain, Song Hezi¡­ They are all peak experts in the world of martial arts with decent cultivation levels.


    ¡°With these people around, I don¡¯t think those two barbarians from the plains can start up a commotion!¡± The Zhen Guardian Commander Zhu Jian scoffed.


    Some sects viewed the Black Dragon Altar as the imperial court¡¯s dogs and hated them.


    However, some sects wanted to latch onto them to ride on their coattails.


    It was advantageous to side with the powerful after all.


    No matter free and aloof the experts in the world of martial arts were, they would not be free from their basic needs.


    In terms of the supplies of material goods, who else other than the Six Sacred Grounds could hope to compare with the nation?


    ¡°Are we not thinking of some ways to have the Grand Commander take action?¡± Wolf Guardian Commander Jiang Gong asked.


    ¡°I think the Great Boundless Palace sending over two experts from the Eight Divisions is surely trying to test us.¡±


    The Zhen Guardian Commander Zhu Jian said in a firm tone. He then rejected the suggestion saying, ¡°The Grand Commander is studying the martial Dao and is at the verge of breaking through. There¡¯s no need to disturb him over such trivial matters!¡±


    The dull-looking Wolf Guardian Commander shuddered. He quickly kept his mouth shut as though he just realized something.


    The other two commanders were expressionless. They kept to themselves, as though agreeing in silence.


    His Majesty was very happy when he heard the news that the Grand Commander Guardian was alive.


    However, to Zhu Jian and the others, that might not be a good thing.


    Authority was an interesting thing. Once someone had it, it would be difficult for them to let go.


    The Grand Commander went into closed door cultivation for several decades and the four commanders held the authority in their hands.


    It could be said that they were only second to the emperor.


    Right then, with the sudden appearance of someone above them, they could not help but feel a little unhappy.


    ¡°Guys, we must handle this visit from the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s ambassador envoy flawlessly!¡±


    Zhu Jian looked around the room, then said in a low voice, ¡°We must not let those barbarians from the plains embarrass us!


    ¡°We must let His Majesty witness that the Black Dragon Altar can handle things just fine without the Grand Commander around!¡±


    The other three nodded together, agreeing with the Zhen Guardian Commander¡¯s words.


    When it came to martial arts cultivation, there was an impassable chasm between them and an Innate Grandmaster.


    However, in terms of managing an organization, politics, and pulling strings¡­the Grand Commander might not be their match.


    ¡°Commander Zhu is right. The Grand Commander had been in closed door cultivation for so many years, but we¡¯ve carried out our duties all the same and never made a mistake!¡±


    Zhou Wen took out a folded fan and started fanning himself.


    ¡°As the saying goes, a strong dragon can¡¯t match with a local snake!


    ¡°Those two barbarians from the plains would have to lay low even if they were powerful beasts!¡±


    ¡­


    Half a month later¡­


    ¡®You¡¯ve arrived at the inner courts. Acquired Thirty-Six Heaven Defying Miracles!¡¯


    ¡®Would you like to imprint?¡¯


    Zhao Mu opened his eyes and nodded slightly.


    After that, just like a ghost, he quickly traveled through the corridors without touching the ground.


    ¡°Both the Primordial Yang and Mysterious Yin Qi are completed. It¡¯s about time to breakthrough.¡±

 Chapter 26

    Thirty-Six Heaven Defying Miracles.


    It originated from the Mysterious Hero of Divine Continent and was the ultimate martial art of Sovereign Li Chenzhou.


    The art uses Qi to power one¡¯s spirit, will to power the body, and form for execution. The art covered 36 methods to achieve limitless transformations!


    Although there were no specific moves, once mastered, one would be able to fuse and connect the use of any weapons or even limbs to generate explosive strength.


    Moreover, it was formidable in offense and defense. It also allowed one¡¯s movements to be elusive.


    It truly deserved its name as a miraculous technique.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Hong Kong manhua version.¡±


    Back in the Eternal Happiness Palace bedchamber, Zhao Mu tried to experience the top-grade martial arts that he had freshly imprinted.


    Thirty-Six Heaven Defying Miracles had a myriad of permutations and covered all aspects.


    Be it fist, palm, claw, or kicks.


    Each can be transformed into a killing move!


    Moreover, the more his understanding of martial arts grew, the killing power within his fist and kicks would only grow stronger.


    It was an extremely versatile martial art.


    ¡°Suits me nicely.¡±


    Zhao Mu studied it in detail, deeply imprinting the domineering will of ¡®Raining fists upon every inch of land¡¯ within his soul.


    At that moment, the mysterious stone dial in his mind shook slightly and displayed lines of texts.


    [Zhao Mu]


    [Five hundred years of true Qi]


    [Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist, Presence Concealment Mantra, Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures, Frozen Heart Mantra, Sacred Heavenly Scriptures, Thirty-Six Heaven Defying Miracles]


    ¡°I can barely qualify as a martial arts grandmaster now.¡±


    Zhao Mu smiled.


    With his strength at the moment, he was definitely not qualified as a martial arts grandmaster.


    However, if one only based it on knowledge of martial arts, he would still qualify as a grandmaster.


    Who else in the world could be like him, having access to multiple divine arts?


    Moreover, able to fully comprehend and connect them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been held at the third Mortal Stage for too long. Finally, it¡¯s time to breakthrough.¡±


    Zhao Mu sat on the bed in the lotus position and started tackling the breaking through to the fourth Mortal Stage of Circulation.


    After refining the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir, his physical body was strengthened to a terrifying state.


    The pure internal energy that accumulated continually was like a filled barrel being poured into a pond, immediately becoming insignificant.


    Because of that, the rate Zhao Mu converted his true Qi grew by over tenfold.


    His apertures had long since been filled with Primordial Yang Qi to the point of overspilling.


    After that, he spent half a month and finally polished his second true Qi, the Mysterious Yin Qi to a pure state.


    ¡°The third Mortal Stage held me back for several months. Martial arts cultivation is truly like rowing a boat upstream.¡±


    Zhao Mu proactively reflected on his actions and decided he should focus on raising his cultivation stage.


    Time to set a minor goal!


    He planned to achieve the Qi Refinement Stage by the Emperor of Zhou¡¯s birthday!


    Breaking through six cultivation stages within half a year.


    Nobody would have believed him and only thought of him as a fool.


    One should know that the core disciples and true lineage of the Sacred Grounds might not even achieve such shocking speed at breaking through, much less a crippled prince imprisoned in the cold palace.


    ¡°The third Mortal Stage is to unlock the acupoints and apertures of the body, then convert internal energy into true Qi.


    ¡°Meanwhile, the fourth Mortal Stage would go one step further and use the true Qi hidden within the apertures to unlock the ancestral aperture, taking the first step to developing one¡¯s spirit.¡±


    Zhao Mu took those key points to heart.


    According to Huo Rulie¡¯s experience in martial arts, there would be huge risks involved whenever one tried to break through the next stage from the fourth Mortal Stage and beyond.


    For example, using one¡¯s true Qi to charge at the ancestral aperture.


    With the slightest mistake, one might end up as a mentally crippled moron.


    If it were any other princes, there would surely be experts watching over the process as a prevention measure.


    However, for Zhao Mu who was left alone to rot in the cold palace, such treatment was out of the question.


    ¡°Break!¡±


    He circulated the intertwined Yin and Yang Qi in his apertures.


    They went upward along his spine.


    As Zhao Mu let out a loud thunderous groan, his spirit was condensed and integrated with his body.


    The 500 years¡¯ worth of massive true Qi rushed straight into his consciousness!


    Dong!


    It created the ringing sound like the morning bell being hit.


    Zhao Mu¡¯s body started shaking greatly. A horizontal gate seemed to have appeared before him.


    Its surface was filled with ditches, giving it a mysterious feel.


    The roiling Yin and Yang Qi pushed it apart forcefully without pause.


    Boom!


    The world beyond was vast!


    Zhao Mu could vaguely feel his spirit condensing within his consciousness.


    He felt as though it was being washed by the warm currents of a hot spring using the essence of heaven and earth.


    An extraordinarily comfortable feeling washed over him.


    After unblocking the ancestral aperture, the tiny strands of spirit transformed waves of powerful energy.


    The body strengthens the spirit while the spirit nurtures the body.


    Both complemented each other, fusing into a powerful martial force.


    ¡°It¡¯s done?¡±


    Zhao Mu was a little surprised.


    He did not expect it to be so easy.


    According to Huo Rulie¡¯s experience, unblocking the ancestral aperture was extremely dangerous.


    It would usually take several attempts until one could get a feel for it and push through in one go.


    ¡°Is this the advantage of having a great foundation? Breaking through the stage was just something natural without the slightest resistance.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s expression was overflowing with confidence.


    The aura given off from his body had also gone through some transformation.


    Ferocity from the Tiger Demon Bone Refining Fists.


    The grandeur of the Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures.


    The ruthlessness of the Frozen Heart Mantra.


    The aloofness of the Sacred Heavenly Scriptures.


    Domineering spirit of the Thirty-Six Heaven Defying Miracles¡­


    Each divine art contained within them the knowledge, understanding, and worldview of its creator.


    Zhao Mu unblocked his ancestral aperture and initiated the development of his spirit.


    It was like a furnace, slowly refining and fusing all the mess within him into a single unit.


    ¡°My head is clear and my mind sharp. If the third Mortal Stage is the transformation of the body, then the fourth Mortal Stage is the metamorphosis of the spirit.¡±


    After concluding his experience, Zhao Mu took a deep breath. He did not stop to rest.


    Instead, he once again circulated the Yin and Yang Qi to move downward, charging forth.


    ¡°Go all in while the morale is high.¡±


    Benefiting from the freshly unblocked ancestral aperture, Zhao Mu caught onto some inspiration.


    He felt that it would be fine for him to develop his dantian with his current accumulated strength.


    If that was the case, he might as well get it over with in one go.


    That would save him the delay if he missed the opportunity.


    ¡°Gather the treasures of the heavens to nurture my nascent essence¡­¡±


    Reciting the mantra, Zhao Mu¡¯s will grew firmer.


    The strands of true Qi spun at high speed, turning into black and white Yin Yang disc and landed three inches below his belly button.


    It caused his body to shake as though a heavy object had landed.


    The risk of breaking through to the fifth Mortal Stage was not much lower than the fourth Mortal Stage.


    If one failed at developing the dantian, one¡¯s sea of Qi, it would cause a reversal of the Qi flow within a person.


    One would easily end up being a cripple, or even die on the spot after hemorrhaging from all various orifices.


    ¡°I must succeed!¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s expression was calm. His tongue touched the tip of his mouth as he exhaled stale breath while inhaling fresh air.


    Between each breath, there were tiny strands of snake-like white Qi extending randomly.


    Its speed became slower as it eventually evened out until it was barely there.


    About 15 minutes later, his body produced a loud sound as though a new world was created.


    The illusory dantian was formed in one go.


    The 500 years¡¯ worth of massive true Qi within his apertures immediately rushed into the boundless sea surrounded by a divine glow.


    Once the true Qi entered, the dantian took on a solid form. The sea of Qi emanated an astonishing level of vitality.


    ¡°Is this the Dao foundation?¡±


    Zhao Mu observed internally.


    The sea of Qi within his dantian had divine lights floating about.


    The Yin and Yang Qi transformed into water and fire, intertwined with each other.


    That was the most critical stage of a Mortal Stage cultivator.


    ¡°Next will be to forge my blood essence and manifest the root bone.¡±


    The so-called blood essence refers to Innate essence born from condensing one¡¯s Qi to the extreme.


    Before a man¡¯s fetus was formed, it would be nurtured by the blood essence.


    The stage of childbirth was recorded as a process of transformation from the innate to the acquired stage within Dao and martial scriptures.


    The cultivation of the fifth Mortal Stage of Foundation Establishment was to reform one¡¯s blood essence to manifest the root bone.


    One had to cleanse the acquired Qi and approach one¡¯s innate form.


    Completing that step would allow one¡¯s bodily functions to be strengthened by leaps and bounds.


    One could even go on without sustenance for several months, achieving the so-called grain avoidance feat of a Daoist.


    ¡°I¡¯ve broken through two stages in one night.¡±


    Zhao Mu let out a long breath with a satisfied look in his eyes.


    Regardless of what was happening outside, he would just sit quietly in the cold palace and cultivate in peace.

 Chapter 27

    Tianjing was the best location in the kingdom.


    It functioned as the capital for six dynasties. It remained standing even after enduring millennia of weather and warfare.


    Regardless of the dynasty that rose in the region, they would finally choose this place as the capital.


    From the Jin Dynasty, Yun Dynasty, Xiao Dynasty, to the Zhou Kingdom, without exception.


    As for the reason, there were many theories.


    Some said that Tianjing was the biggest Feng Shui array in the world.


    They claimed that several thousand years ago, an almighty being used some magic to move mountains and rivers, resulting in the legendary layout of ¡°Dragon and Tiger¡¯s abode of spiritual abundance¡±.


    Some also claimed that Tianjing City had a great accumulation of Emperor¡¯s Qi due to it being the intersection point of two major dragon veins.


    Some Feng Shui practitioners studied the directions of the mountain ranges. They noticed the Kunlun Mountain Range to the West and the Yanran Mountain Range to the North.


    With the two grand earth Qi gathering in that spot and the grand river surrounding it, it created a never-ending water vein of Yin and Yang, forming a top grade feature of the true dragon.


    There was a myriad of such theories and none of them could be verified.


    ¡°I think those practitioners make quite some sense.¡±


    Shadow Guardian Commander Zhou Wen fanned himself while he leaned on the parapet and looked into the distance.


    ¡°Commander Ji Liang, you see, Mount Zhongding has the aura like a dragon, Mount Qingliang is shaped like White Tiger, along with this Vermilion Bird Street, and the Black Tortoise Lake within the imperial city, it¡¯s really like a gathering of the four spiritual beasts. It¡¯s the feature of a strong Dragon Qi!¡±


    The feminine-looking Eagle Guardian Commander Ji Liang narrowed his eyes, then scoffed, ¡°Making presumptuous claims of the imperial city layout and making connections with mysticism¡­ Commander Zhou, mind your words less someone overhears and makes a complaint!¡±


    The well-mannered Zhou Wen was unfazed. He calmly replied, ¡°Complaint about me? The Black Dragon Altar supervises the ministers and patrols the kingdom. Will those civil ministers dare to say anything? I don¡¯t think so!¡±


    Ji Liang did not continue the conversation. Instead, he took the Jiannan Liquor and took a small sip.


    Outside the building was the lively Vermilion Bird Street.


    The residents of Tianjing City liked to refer to it as Heaven Street because it was a long, straight, and wide street that could accommodate eight carriages side by side.


    It extended outward from the southern gate of the imperial city, all the way to the Mingde Gate of the outer city.


    Each day, with the sound of the drum signaling its opening, the people outside the city and the foreign merchants of the Western Region would crowd inward to form a sea of crowds.


    Ji Liang and Zhou Wen were in the most famous restaurant on Vermilion Bird Street, Wanlong Restaurant.


    Famous dishes, exquisite desserts, treasured wine, and other delicacies, they had everything.


    Many nobles and rich merchants frequented the place.


    However, the usually lively and packed Wanlong Restaurant was exceptionally quiet that day with few people in its doors.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to wait for the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s ambassador envoy to enter the city. Why do we need to be so obvious about it?¡± Ji Liang asked coldly with a frown.


    Both Commanders Zhou Wen and Ji Liang were seated in the private chamber on the third floor.


    The other two floors below were soldiers with black koi uniforms and embroidered sabers from the Black Dragon Altar.


    Before the guests even walk through the door, they could already feel the killing intent rushing at them.


    Who would dare walk in for a meal?!


    ¡°Since when has the Black Dragon Altar ever done something surreptitiously? The Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s ambassador envoy will be arriving Tianjing City today. I¡¯ve already discussed this with Commander Zhu and plan to test them the moment they enter the gates.¡±


    Zhou Wen kept his fan and put on a confident smile.


    ¡°The eldest disciple of Cloud Abode, Thunder Sword Song Qingshan, is at the peak of the sixth Mortal Stage. His sword is quick and has excellent swordsmanship.


    ¡°Moreover, Song Hezi, the Master of Lianyun Mountain, is also at the sixth Mortal Stage. His Nine Cauldron Spirit Refining Technique provides him with extremely pure true Qi, which is rare.¡±


    Ji Liang frowned slightly as though coming to realization.


    ¡°You want to act against the ambassador envoy in front of everyone when they enter the gates?¡±


    Zhou Wen looked down at the pedestrians on Vermilion Bird Street and nodded.


    ¡°Exactly. If those barbarians from the plans are planning to provoke us, they will definitely be disrespectful when meeting His Majesty.


    ¡°By then, even if the Black Dragon Altar sends in an expert to handle the situation, it would cause the emperor to be unhappy.


    ¡°Instead of waiting for the other party to make a move, why not act first and put the Great Boundless Palace in their place!?¡±


    Ji Liang harrumphed, then mocked, ¡°You sure planned ahead, but what if we lost? Moro, the King of Yakshas is at the seventh Mortal Stage, Titan Stage. With just two peak Qi Refinement Stage with us, we might not be able to take him down.¡±


    Zhou Wen waved nonchalantly and said, ¡°If we can have a glimpse of how powerful the other party is, it¡¯s not a bad thing either. Furthermore, Master Yuanhui, the head of Heavenly Dragon Temple is our true trump card.


    ¡°Yin Summit Academy¡¯s ranking has thirty names on it. Only those of the Spiritual Transformation Stage and Innate Grandmaster Stage are qualified to be on the list.


    ¡°Under it, are the three martial ranking lists of Sun, Moon, and Star based on the martial arts experts¡¯ combat ranking.


    ¡°Master Yuanhui is placed third on the Sun Martial Ranking List. He¡¯s at the peak of the seventh Mortal Stage, easily capable of suppressing those two evil cultivators from the Great Boundless Palace!¡±


    Hearing that, Ji Liang had nothing to say.


    He had heard of ¡®Dharma¡¯ Yuanhui of the Prajna Hall.


    However, he asked after some time, ¡°Shadow Guardian and Zhen Guardian are working so hard to put the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s ambassador envoy in their place. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s all because of the¡­Grand Commander?¡±


    Zhou Wen did not deny, but instead asked with a smile, ¡°Commander Ji, do you think the Black Dragon Altar needs a Grand Commander who ignores his worldly duties but hogs all the authority to himself?¡±


    Ji Liang fell silent immediately, at a loss on how to respond.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s you, or the other commanders, and even¡­His Majesty himself! Are you willing to accept the Grand Commander¡¯s appearance? I don¡¯t think so!¡±


    Zhou Wen smacked his palm with the fan and said calmly, ¡°Commander Ji, you¡¯ve been dealing with the people of the world of martial arts for so many years. You should understand one thing. As long as they know some martial arts, which of them would care about the law, imperial authority, the emperor, and the likes?


    ¡°The Grand Commander even ignored His Majesty¡¯s imperial decree. He¡¯s already got out of closed door cultivation, yet refuses to meet the emperor, nor come to the Black Dragon Altar. One could see his arrogance.¡±


    The Shadow Guardian Commander stopped the fanning motion of his bone fan, then huffed, ¡°They say he¡¯s to guard the emperor and back the operations of the Zhou Kingdom. However, judging from his behavior, how is he any different from those experts from the Ten Great Sects? He¡¯s just a lordless person who disrespects the law and imperial authority!¡±


    Ji Liang gasped deeply and exclaimed in shock, ¡°You dare to say that!?¡±


    A lordless person was akin to wild beasts.


    Zhou Wen accused the Grand Commander of disrespecting the emperor and was no different from wild dogs.


    If the other party heard of the accusation, he would most likely lose his life.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? Our Zhou Kingdom has Marquis Zhao Kai and millions of soldiers! Why would we need a Grand Commander in name only?!¡±


    Zhou Wen¡¯s brows twitched, then exclaimed, ¡°Legends tell us that it was the Grand Commander who protected the Zhou Kingdom by fending off Master Zhizhu from the Great Boundless Palace, but who would remember the four Guardian Commanders of Black Dragon Altar being almost completely wiped out. Three of the four commanders died, and the sole survivor was crippled for life. He had been coughing up blood for half a year before passing away!¡±


    ¡°How can such a thief who steals others¡¯ merits and glory be compared to Marquis Zhao Kai who serves the country with utmost loyalty?


    ¡°It¡¯s just because Marquis Zhao Kai has yet to achieve the Innate Grandmaster Stage. Otherwise, why would His Majesty tolerate an old man who holds great power but disrespects the imperial authority?¡±


    Ji Liang suddenly recalled that the previous Shadow Guardian Commander had also died from coughing up blood.


    That person was Zhou Wen¡¯s master.


    He shook his head, then downed the throat-burning Jiannan Liquor before saying softly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that to his face that day?¡±


    Zhou Wen chuckled without displaying any awkwardness.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that stupid to debate with an Innate Grandmaster just like that.


    ¡°To be honest, I refuse to believe the Grand Commander could reverse mortality at the end of his lifespan and achieve a breakthrough by seeking life within death.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s unwilling to return the Taiji Pure Yang Coffin, nor willing to meet the emperor in the imperial court. Something must¡¯ve happened to his body and it¡¯s unable to move!


    ¡°The Black Dragon Altar belongs to His Majesty and us after all. It has nothing to do with the Grand Commander.¡±


    Ji Liang kept quiet.


    For Zhou Wen to behave so insolently, he had most likely gotten some news.


    Could it be that Marquis Zhao Kai was nearing his breakthrough?


    If the Zhou Kingdom could have a new Innate Grandmaster, then the almost dead Grand Commander would naturally be worthless.


    ¡°They¡¯re here! The leaders from the Eight Divisions of the Great Boundless Palace!¡±


    Ji Liang kept his thoughts in check and slowly stood up, shifting his gaze over.


    At the Mingde Gate, a grand envoy finally appeared within his sights.

 Chapter 28

    The Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s ambassador envoy arrived at the stables outside Tianjing City one hour ago.


    They settled the huge Spiritual Vulture and submitted the official documents.


    They entered the gates smoothly after following the procedures.


    Taking the lead in front of the ambassador envoy were the two from the Eight Divisions of the Great Boundless Palace.


    One had a terrifying appearance with a massive figure. His arms were covered in tattoos of black and green pythons that looked like they were picking their prey to devour.


    The other one had an outstanding appearance, giving off a formal air. Even the wide and loose red Tibetan monk robe could not hide her figure.


    King of Yakshas and Gandharva.


    The two stepped through Mingde Gate with a mighty ambassador envoy from the Yuanmeng Empire, attracting the attention of the crowd.


    ¡°As expected of the largest city in the world.¡±


    The intimidating-looking Moro, King of Yakshas lamented as he looked at the thick city walls measuring several hundred feet in height.


    He was raised in the plains and had never seen such a majestic city.


    Even if he was a Spiritual Transformation Expert, he might not be able to leap through with the help of his true Qi.


    ¡°It¡¯s too bad it can¡¯t hold back an Innate Grandmaster,¡± Moro, the King of Yakshas sneered.


    An Innate Grandmaster would view perilous chasms as flat land. What could a single keep do?


    With that, he turned to the Gandharva beside him and said, ¡°Tianjing City is so prosperous and the Divine Continent¡¯s Central Plain is so rich with resources, but why are the people of Zhou Kingdom so weak? None of them could compare to the good men of the plains. It¡¯s such a waste of this fertile land and natural beauty!¡±


    ¡°The Khan is right. We should rob them of their wealth and enslave them. We¡¯ll make them submit under Eternal Heaven with whips, chariots, and sabers!¡±


    Gandharva, who was like a goddess descended from heaven, attracted all the attention of those at the city gates. She did not feel like entertaining Moro.


    Her scarlet lips parted slightly, speaking in a clear and melodious voice, ¡°Someone¡¯s coming to cause trouble.¡±


    Moro immediately frowned and spread his spiritual sense outward like a net in all directions. He quickly noticed something was wrong.


    ¡°Sneaking and hiding around. Are the people of Zhou Kingdom cowards?¡±


    He rushed in one direction and activated his true Qi.


    With a shout, the air around him trembled.


    That shout sounded like thunder out of nowhere.


    The guards at the gates, passing merchants, and the hawkers by the road could not help but cover their ears in agony.


    ¡°Are those from the Eight Divisions of the Great Boundless Palace as rude as you, Sir?¡±


    A graceful young swordsman dressed in white immediately came forth from the crowd.


    The sheathed longsword by his waist whistled loudly to negate the thundering sound waves surging at him.


    Although he appeared calm, he was quite irritated internally.


    According to his earlier plans with the Black Dragon Altar, he should be descending upon them by stepping over the shoulders of the crowd.


    He would then block off the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s ambassador envoy and issue them a challenge.


    With that, it would allow them to provide courtesy and not be blamed for disrupting the alliance between the two nations.


    Moreover, regardless of winning or losing, it would be passed down as a celebrated event.


    However, at that moment¡­


    The young swordsman¡¯s tracks were immediately exposed by the shout.


    He would lose the initiative of his appearance and appear quite pitiful.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite the funny one. You came with ill intention and tried to block the path to attain fame, yet you¡¯re trying to claim that I¡¯m being rude?¡±


    Moro was not all brawn and no brain. He took a sideward glance at the young swordsman and mercilessly exposed his intentions.


    ¡°I thought you would be some expert! Turns out you¡¯re just a mere peak Qi Refinement Stage. How dare you block my path. Are you in such a hurry to die?¡±


    Hearing that, the young swordsman¡¯s anger grew.


    He wanted nothing more than to unsheathe his sword and cut down the evil monk from the Great Boundless Palace.


    Suppressing the rage within him, he threw out the writ of challenge.


    Infused with true Qi, the thin piece of paper was hard as refined iron.


    It cut through the hard granite floor and was stuck half an inch deep.


    That move showed off the young swordsman¡¯s exquisite control over his strength and his pure true Qi of over a hundred years¡¯ worth.


    ¡°The eldest disciple of Cloud Abode, Thunder Sword Song Qingshan. He sure lives up to his name.¡±


    Eagle Guardian Commander Ji Liang¡¯s eyes brightened up slightly as he watched from afar over the veranda.


    They were both at the sixth Mortal Stage of Qi Refinement.


    However, he was unable to have such fine control over his strength.


    ¡°Those who make a name for themselves in the world of martial arts are no ordinary folks.¡±


    Zhou Wen opened up his folding fan, looking as though he was waiting for a good show.


    ¡°Song Qingshan comes from the Song family of Boling Commandery, barely qualifying him as a noble.


    ¡°He entered the Cloud Abode from a young age and obtained their true teachings. He¡¯s considered a notable expert in the world of martial arts.¡±


    Ji Liang frowned slightly, then asked in a soft voice, ¡°Why would someone like him listen to the Black Dragon Altar and challenge Moro, the King of Yakshas who¡¯s a level above him?¡±


    ¡°Commander Ji, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve put too much in cultivation and forgot about the Black Dragon Altar¡¯s true strength.¡±


    Zhou Wen was amused and said smugly, ¡°His father Song Zhiyuan is a third-grade scholar within Hanlin Academy. Although he has the ministerial position, it has no real authority.


    ¡°Some time ago, he committed some mistakes and was arrested by the Wolf Guardian.¡±


    Ji Liang came to a realization and replied calmly, ¡°It seems this ¡®Thunder Sword¡¯ is quite filial.¡±


    The title of true disciples of the Ten Great Sects was quite an honor.


    However, before one reached the level of a chief or sect master, then they were no different from any unaffiliated cultivators out there to the Black Dragon Altar.


    ¡°Let¡¯s watch the show.¡±


    Zhou Wen fanned with one hand as he held onto the railing, looking confident.


    ¡°Song Qingshan¡¯s tracks are discovered. He already lost in terms of presence. This might not end well.¡±


    Ji Liang was the top expert in the Black Dragon Altar. He spent many years in the world of martial arts and had ample experience. With that, he naturally had a keen vision.


    Zhou Wen shook his head in silence. He did not expect Song Qingshan to win against Moro as well.


    Apart from Song Qingshan, both Zhen Guardian Commander and Commander Zhou Wen arranged for Song Hezi, the master of Lianyun Mountain, and Luo Xiaosheng, patron of the Golden Sand Party.


    They were famous and ruthless people!


    ¡°Is your Zhou Kingdom devoid of experts? Did they send you to block the way? I¡¯ll stand right here. If you can force me to take a step back, I¡¯ll consider it as your victory!¡±


    Moro laughed maniacally. He stepped forward without even taking a look at the writ of challenge and stepped on it.


    With his arms crossed before him, he shot a cold look at the young swordsman as though his existence meant nothing.


    ¡°Such a boast is too brazen!¡±


    Song Qingshan knew his cultivation stage was lower and might not be his match.


    Therefore, he could only hope to probe Moro¡¯s strength.


    If he ended in a draw and got off unscathed, he might even gain some fame.


    His position in the Moon Martial Ranking List might even move forward.


    ¡°Song Qingshan of Cloud Abode. I¡¯ll be in your care!¡±


    Before the public, Song Qingshan behaved like a gentleman and observed all proper etiquette.


    Shing!


    The sword was drawn!


    A cold light illuminated the street!


    The pedestrians watching the drama subconsciously took a few steps back in fear of being involved.


    Boom! Boom boom!


    The three-foot sword with a green edge was filled with true Qi. It vibrated strongly and bounced lightly, each time creating a loud thunderous crack!


    The booming sounds did not stop!


    Several dozen sword beams blossomed forth and shot straight at Moro.


    The speed of the sword drawing immediately gave others the feeling that it was unavoidable.


    ¡°Quick as lightning, loud as thunder! As expected, there are only mistaken names in the world of martial arts, but never a mistaken nickname!¡± Ji Liang could not help but praise.


    ¡°How can the eldest disciple of the Cloud Abode be compared to regular people?!¡± Zhou Wen nodded in agreement.


    With Moro¡¯s boasting, Song Qingshan started straight away with his ultimate move!


    The 28 beams of energy from his sword surged like a raging torrent, as though they were all unleashed at the same time.


    Following that, they produced sword beams that resembled lightning, striking all of Moro¡¯s vital spots.


    With the attack being infused with a century¡¯s worth of true Qi, even if the body was made from metal, it would still be pierced!


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    Moro looked unamused.


    Just like before, his chest puffed up and bellowed!


    Roar!


    It was like a lion¡¯s roar of the Buddhist experts.


    The sound waves poured forth, tearing through the air.


    Song Qingshan¡¯s white clothes were tightly wrapped around his body as they flapped loudly in the wind.


    His focused gaze suddenly seemed to have lost its edge.


    The vibrating sword in his hand swerved as the unstoppable thunderous aura around him ceased.


    Taking advantage of that opportunity, Moro used two of his fingers to hold onto the incoming sword.


    Strength circulated around his body and suddenly surged forth.


    The three-foot, green-bladed sword that could be considered a treasured weapon was immediately broken.


    It transformed into several cold beams of light that struck Song Qingshan.


    His white clothes were stained with blood as he flew backward!


    ¡°I hate those weak and soft swordsmen like you the most! You¡¯re just like a woman!¡±


    Moro mumbled, then took a step forward and looked down on Song Qingshan who was bleeding profusely.


    ¡°Is the Zhou Kingdom filled with weaklings like you? No wonder they would lose to the men of our Yuanmeng Empire on the battlefield!¡±

 Chapter 29

    In the battle at the city gates, Song Qingshan, the eldest disciple of Cloud Abode, lost to Moro of the Great Boundless Palace in one move.


    The latter made rude and boastful remarks in front of the people of Tianjing City.


    The people of the Zhou Kingdom were ridiculed as weaklings.


    After that, it stirred up a sea of unrest.


    Shadow Guardian Commander Zhou Wen, who had been confident previously, took on an ugly expression.


    It was fine if it was just Song Qingshan losing badly without managing to learn anything useful from the opponent.


    However, Moro seemed to have seen through Black Dragon Altar¡¯s plans. They did not care to fight off wave after wave of martial arts experts.


    Instead, they chose to turn the challenge into a big scene, making it unsalvageable.


    If nobody could defeat him, would that not mean that all the martial artists in the Zhou Kingdom would be considered weaklings?


    ¡°This baldy acts like a hothead but hides away his dastardly plans! Despicable! Damn it!¡±


    After returning to Black Dragon Altar¡¯s courtroom, Zhou Wen was a little unruly as his killing permeated from his brows.


    He felt like he just dug his own grave. It would not take long for that matter to reach the emperor¡¯s ears.


    By then, the Black Dragon Altar would surely be blamed for not handling the matter properly.


    ¡°That Vajrayana monk sure has guts to speak so insolently at the city gates. After making such a claim, all the experts within Tianjing City would not sit idly by. They will surely come to challenge him one by one,¡± Ji Liang said thoughtfully, remaining calm and keeping his composure.


    ¡°That baldy is confident to be unbeatable by all those within the same cultivation stage!¡± Zhou Wen huffed angrily.


    ¡°Commander Zhu went to the Heavenly Dragon Temple and has yet to return. Master Yuanhui of Prajna Hall should still be on the way¡­ If no experts could subdue this person in three days, then wouldn¡¯t this be self-defeating and help the Great Boundless Sect gain fame instead?!¡± Ji Liang¡¯s brows frowned slightly as he noticed something was off.


    Moro had just arrived in Tianjing City. By all logic, he should not know about the situation.


    However, from his behavior, he seemed to have come prepared.


    Even if Black Dragon Altar did not send Song Qingshan over, the other party would most likely provoke the masses.


    ¡°Should we ask for Marquis Zhao Kai?¡±


    Ji Liang was aware that even at his peak, he might not be a match for Moro, who was at the seventh Mortal Stage of Titan Stage.


    From what he could see, within Tianjing City, only Marquis Zhao Kai, who was at the peak of the eight Mortal Stage of Spiritual Transformation had a sure chance to suppress Moro.


    ¡°No! If the marquis acted, that would be suppressing the opponent with his cultivation stage. That way, we can¡¯t guarantee that the Imperial Preceptor of Yuanmeng Empire won¡¯t personally pay Tianjing City a visit!¡±


    The Zhou Kingdom was weak and the Yuanmeng Empire was strong.


    The reason the Great Boundless Palace made such provocations might be to nullify the Yan Province Treaty and reignite warfare!


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll just find a few seventh Mortal Stage, Titan Stage experts! I refuse to believe this Vajrayana monk is truly unbeatable within the same stage!¡±


    Ji Liang had a vicious look on his face.


    He did not have a good temper to begin with.


    With him feeling anxious, he might actually lead his cavalry to hunt Moro down.


    ¡°I just flipped through the records. Yun Chenzi of Spiritual Crane Temple; Captain Lin, the chief instructor of our 800 thousand royal guards; Luo Yulong of the Sword-Saber Alliance¡­just these people.¡±


    Zhou Wen narrowed his eyes as it flashed coldly.


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to take action, but we don¡¯t have complete confidence to beat that bald monk!¡±


    From the battle at the city gates, he could already tell.


    Moro might seem like a brute, but he was actually a very attentive person.


    Even when going against Thunder Sword Song Qingshan who was one full cultivation stage below him, he still chose to expose his tracks and force him out into the open.


    After that, he boasted to provoke the eldest disciple of Cloud Abode to use his ultimate move before finally using something like a Lion¡¯s Roar technique to shake the opponent¡¯s spirit and defeat him in one move.


    ¡°This person is good at duels and very careful. He¡¯s quite difficult to deal with.¡±


    The reason why Zhou Wen wanted to use a few peak-level Qi Refinement Stage experts to probe Moro was to find out his strength and to better understand the martial arts technique of the Great Boundless Palace.


    In a battle between martial artists, whoever knew their opponent¡¯s move, true Qi quality, and ultimate techniques, would have a much better advantage.


    ¡°Regardless if it¡¯ll work, we need to send someone to fight him. Otherwise, the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s morale will grow and the practitioners of the Zhou Kingdom won¡¯t be able to lift their heads. The Black Dragon Altar would also become a joke!¡± Ji Liang dispelled his other thoughts and proclaimed decisively.


    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll go look for them!¡±


    Zhou Wen nodded vehemently as he held tightly to the bone fan in his hand.


    Apart from the masters, chiefs, and Spiritual Transformation Experts of the Three Great Sect, who in the Zhou Kingdom would dare to deny the Black Dragon Altar¡¯s request?


    ¡­


    A few days later¡­


    Regardless of the storm and disturbance of the outside world, Zhao Mu nurtured his Qi and practiced his martial arts.


    That day, he was seated in the study.


    He suddenly heard some excited footsteps. Looking up, he noticed his little brother Zhao Yuan appearing at the door.


    ¡°What brings you here today?¡±


    Zhao Mu chuckled calmly. The lifestyle of the princes before they reached adulthood was not relaxing.


    The imperial tutor gave them a lot of homework, and they had to train and temper their bodies.


    Free time each day was extremely limited.


    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯ve not seen you for a long time, so I came over to visit!¡±


    Zhao Yuan¡¯s usually cold expression was swept away and replaced with a smile brimming with joy.


    He was still a child after all. Upon seeing someone he was close to, he could not maintain the composure of a prince.


    ¡°Brother, you stay in the cold palace all year long. I¡¯ll come by when I¡¯m free to keep you company and entertained!¡±


    Zhao Yuan sat beside him and randomly picked up a travel guide.


    He tried to keep up his act and secretly peek at Zhao Mu, making him appear rather cute.


    ¡°Coincidentally, I¡¯m a little tired.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s lips curled upward. He put down the book in his hand and rubbed his brother¡¯s head.


    Through sensing his Qi, Zhao Mu more or less understood his cultivation stage.


    Completion of the second Mortal Stage of Body Tempering.


    ¡®Supple muscles and sturdy bones. He must¡¯ve learned the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist.¡¯


    Zhao My once copied the drawings of the Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist¡¯s moves and hid it within the booklet, where Huo Rulie¡¯s lingering will fragment resided.


    It was for his brother Zhao Yuan to have a stronger foundation in martial arts so that he could progress further.


    ¡°Brother, did you hear about the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s ambassador envoy entering the capital? Recently, the entire Tianjing City was talking about this matter!¡±


    Zhao Yuan nudged against the hand of his head, then continued, ¡°There¡¯s a Vajrayana monk who met the challenge of a swordsman from the Cloud Abode. After he defeated his opponent, he dared to mock all of Zhou Kingdom¡¯s martial arts practitioners to be weaklings.


    ¡°With that statement, he angered a lot of martial arts experts. Each day, they would stand at the restaurant¡¯s door, waiting to issue him a challenge.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s brows twitched.


    Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s ambassador envoy?


    Vajrayana monk?


    He immediately thought of the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s Imperial Preceptor Phags-pa from the Great Boundless Palace.


    ¡°What¡¯s the cultivation stage of the monk?¡±


    Zhao Mu asked with feigned curiosity.


    ¡°I heard the instructor of the royal guards say that he¡¯s at the seventh Mortal Stage of Titan Stage. In the outside world, that¡¯s enough to start his own sect.¡±


    Zhao Yuan took a sip of the tea served to him, then continued, ¡°These days, the royal guard¡¯s chief instructor, Captain Lin, Daoist Yun Chenzi of the Spiritual Crane Temple, and that whatever Sword-Saber Alliance¡¯s leader, were sent back defeated, unable to beat the Vajrayana monk.¡±


    Zhao Mu was slightly surprised internally.


    Of the three, he had only heard of the chief instructor from the royal guards, Lin Shiheng.


    The captain they referred to had a leopard-like eye with a bushy beard. With that, he was nicknamed ¡°Leopard-Head¡±.


    He had impressive skills with a focus on poles and spears.


    The weapons training and close combat skills were mostly monitored by this person.


    ¡°Even Captain Lin lost?¡±


    Zhao Mu was quite surprised.


    Was the monk from the Great Boundless Palace that powerful?


    Seventh Mortal Stage, Titan Stage.


    It was recorded in the Buddhist scriptures that dragons had the greatest strength among water dwellers and elephants were the greatest among land dwellers, making them each the titans of their own world.


    That was why those in the Titan Stage would develop their body to the extreme, polishing them to a terrifying degree.


    Each motion would contain the strength of a flood dragon and the might of an elephant.


    They could be considered indestructible and unrivaled!


    It would never be an easy task to determine a victor during a duel of two at the same stage.


    However, the Vajrayana monk won several matches in a row. That was truly mind-boggling.


    ¡°Yeah. That Vajrayana monk¡¯s moves are strange. He has seven glowing discs around him as though he was a living Arhat. With eighteen consecutive fists, he even broke Captain Lin¡¯s spear that was made from refined iron.¡±


    Zhao Yuan described it vividly, as though he witnessed it with his own eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s because this is under the emperor¡¯s nose that the sects are not going all out. Otherwise, if we invited the experts from the Three Great Sects, the monk might not be as mighty as he is now.¡±


    Zhao Mu nodded lightly. The imperial court and the sects had a strained relationship.


    Furthermore, with the Four Guardian Commanders and Marques Zhao Kai standing guard, none of them would think of placing their sect in Tianjing City.


    ¡®With this, I¡¯m afraid the Black Dragon Altar will suffer punishment,¡¯ Zhao Mu thought silently to himself.


    The men from the Great Boundless Palace were running rampant and showing off within the capital of the Zhou Empire.


    If news of that reaches the emperor, he would definitely be furious.


    From the looks of it, the four commanders will be having quite some bad luck.


    ¡®It has nothing to do with me anyway.¡¯


    Zhao Mu shook his head.


    Those days, he would either be studying martial arts in the underground stone chamber or circulating his true Qi while ingesting all sorts of elixirs to help him condense his blood essence.


    Fifth Mortal Stage, Foundation Establishment Stage.


    It focused on refining one¡¯s Qi essence, condensing blood essence, and manifesting the root bone.


    It would one 15, 30, or even up to 60 years for the process.


    Zhao Mu had ingested the Blood Bodhi, Qi nurturing elixirs, meridian nurturing elixirs, and even the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir.


    With all the strong medicinal strength accumulated in his body, they then activated all in one go, melding into his sea of Qi within his dantian, transforming into innate blood essences.


    His body¡¯s strength increased day by day.


    Leveling up in peace was much better than seeking trouble outside.


    ¡°When is the imperial court planning to meet the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s ambassador envoy?¡± Zhao Mu asked casually.


    ¡°It should be tomorrow. They will be meeting the envoy at noon and throwing a banquet for them at night,¡± Zhao Yuan replied.


    By then, all the princes would have to be present.


    Zhao Mu was no exception.

 Chapter 30

    The next day¡­


    Black Dragon Altar courtroom¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve only been gone for a few days. How did it turn out like this? You guys actually let that King of Yakshas run rampant in Tianjing City?!¡± Zhen Commander Zhu Jian, who just returned to Tianjing City, pointed at his colleagues seated before him and asked in a dark tone.


    Heavenly Dragon Temple¡¯s sect building was located in the Middle Plain. Its influence extended over to the 14 commanderies and 32 districts around it.


    It was considered a behemoth!


    Going from Tianjing City with fast horses, the return trip would take four whole days.


    By the time Zhu Jian personally invited their trump card, the chief of Prajna Hall over, the Great Boundless Palace¡¯s King of Yaksha had already obtained seven consecutive victories in three days, defeating many experts.


    ¡°I underestimated the Eight Divisions. I didn¡¯t think they would be so well informed and made preparations in advance.¡±


    Zhou Wen lowered his head dejectedly, feeling defeated.


    In the past few days, he had continuously invited several martial arts experts of the seventh Mortal Stage of Titan Stage.


    Among them were Lin Shiheng, a captain of the royal guard who was well experienced in warfare, and also the master of Sword-Saber Alliance, who had plenty of experience in the world of martial arts and lived through dangerous tribulations.


    He never expected them to have lost to Moro, being defeated one after another.


    ¡°Commander Zhou can¡¯t be fully responsible for this. From what I¡¯ve observed, that bald monk from the Great Boundless Palace must¡¯ve pulled some kind of trick!¡± Ji Liang said in a low voice, trying to ease the tension.


    ¡°Each time they issue the challenge, Gandharva would be standing outside the ring within twenty steps of the King of Yakshas, staying very close to him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Great Boundless Palace has a technique to borrow strength for a cooperative attack!


    ¡°It allows several people to cultivate the same type of true Qi, letting them fill in for each other. In battle, it would be equivalent to fighting multiple opponents. It¡¯s extremely freaky!¡±


    Zhu Jian steeled his face and rolled up his sleeves as he said, ¡°It¡¯s too late to say anything now. That King of Yakshas had defeated so many experts. Isn¡¯t that just proving that our Zhou Kingdom is helpless and allowed a bald monk to run rampant in our capital?!


    ¡°It¡¯s already difficult to explain this to the emperor. If the Black Dragon Altar fails to salvage this mistake and make it up with our merits, we can just take off our koi uniforms and go back to being farmers!¡±


    Ji Liang sighed helplessly. He originally planned to invite a few more experts to put the Great Boundless Palace in their place.


    Who could have known that he would instead be slapped in the face by the other party?


    ¡°We understand. Now that we have Master Yuanhui from the Prajna Hall backing us, that King of Yakshas wouldn¡¯t dare stir up any more trouble,¡± Zhou Wen muttered under his breath.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope so! Today the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s envoy will be meeting His Majesty. We must not let anything go wrong!¡±


    Zhu Jian, still simmering in anger, slammed his palm on the sturdy desk.


    The shock caused the teacup to jump, spraying tea everywhere.


    ¡°From what I can see, why not ask Marquis Zhao Kai to act and reprimand those two during tonight¡¯s banquet?¡± Wolf Guardian Commander Jiang Gong¡¯s strong voice suddenly came from behind the door.


    ¡°Even if that incurs the wrath of the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s Imperial Preceptor, we can use this excuse to cease the alliance treaty. Moreover, we have the Grand Commander¡­¡±


    Hearing that, the veins on Zhu Jian and Zhou Wen¡¯s forehead popped as they gave off mixed feelings.


    Both of them suppressed their emotions and cleared their throats, each saying, ¡°There¡¯s no need! His Majesty was willing to give up Yongxue Pass to achieve the treaty at the Yan Province to avoid war. If we did that, it would just bring unnecessary losses to our nation and hurt our people. It¡¯s unwise to do so!


    ¡°Furthermore, Commander Jiang! Are you so sure that the Grand Commander can defeat Phags-pa?


    ¡°The Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s Imperial Preceptor became an Innate Grandmaster a decade ago. He¡¯s now at his peak, in prime condition.


    ¡°Meanwhile, our Grand Commander had once burnt through his life, reaching its limit. Even if he had some new comprehension and managed to progress further, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s not as powerful as you might think.¡±


    The Zhen and Shadow Guardian Commanders spoke as though it was well-rehearsed between them.


    They were building on and complementing each other¡¯s points.


    They gave no chance for Jiang Gong to speak and he could only chuckle and say, ¡°I¡¯m just giving a random suggestion. You guys don¡¯t have to take it so seriously.¡±


    That scene caused Ji Liang, who was just observing from the sidelines, to feel a shiver run down his spine.


    It seemed that quite some people within the Black Dragon Altar did not wish for the Grand Commander to make an appearance.


    ¡­


    ¡®You¡¯ve arrived at Jian Zhang Palace. Acquired Tibetan Secret Scriptures!¡¯


    ¡®Would you like to imprint?¡¯


    Zhao Mu stood before a dew collecting immortal statue with his hands behind his back.


    That statue was 200 feet tall and 70 feet wide, cast from pure copper.


    The general shape was of an immortal holding up a round plate, collecting heavenly dew.


    Rumor had it that the crown prince of the previous dynasty was superstitious of eternal life and listened to folk tales.


    He thought that drinking the mixture of jade powder and heavenly dew would allow him to extend his lifespan.


    He forced the people¡¯s labor and burnt through his wealth, wasting exorbitantly to cast the statue of the dew collecting immortal.


    ¡°Since ancient times, none had been witnessed to achieve eternal life.¡±


    Zhao Mu shook his head as he lamented, waving his sleeves as he departed.


    Ever since he reached the fifth Mortal Stage of Foundation Establishment, he had a better understanding of many martial arts knowledge and their utilization.


    Especially the Presence Concealing Mantra, which he grew increasingly proficient at.


    At that moment, he could travel around the imperial city¡¯s inner court and not worry about being discovered.


    ¡®Tibetan Secret Scriptures. It sounds familiar.¡¯


    Back in his bedchamber, Zhao Mu thought about it carefully while seated on his bed before finally remembering where the martial art originated.


    The Tibetan Secret Scriptures came from Shattering Void written by Huang Yi.


    It was the ultimate art practiced by Meng Chixing with the nickname ¡®Demonic Sect¡¯, who was one of the top three experts on Mongolia.


    That person¡¯s name might be unfamiliar to many, but he had a very well-known disciple named Pang Ban.


    The Tibetan Secret Scriptures was a kind of extremely perplexing martial art that was impossible to defend against.


    It allowed one to materialize one¡¯s spirit. Upon completion, one¡¯s emotional fluctuations would be able to affect and transform reality.


    One would be like a godly demon!


    Also, there were two other Mongolian experts.


    One of them was Phagpa who was given rulership over Tibet, practiced the Heaven and Earth Transformation Technique, which was similarly an art focusing on the spirit.


    The other one was Kublai¡¯s brother, Si Hanfei of the Mongolian imperial family.


    Meng Chixing effortlessly suppressed those two. From that, one could see how powerful he was.


    ¡®After unblocking the ancestral aperture, I can start developing my spirit. After I learn this art, doesn¡¯t that mean that I can even spar with the top expert of the Spiritual Transformation Stage?¡¯ Zhao Mu¡¯s heart shook with excitement.


    He suppressed the thought and focused on studying the ultimate technique that Meng Chixing used to achieve greatness.


    He could see two waves of true Qi, Mysterious Yin and Primordial Yang, turning into the Yin Yang black and white color.


    It covered his body like a thin layer of translucent aura.


    As Zhao Mu focused his mind on the Tibetan Secret Scriptures, his ancestral aperture started pulsating faintly while giving off heat.


    The Qi in his body converged on his forehead and focused to a single point.


    It felt as though it was trying to burst out from the aperture and open the third eye on his head.


    A small, faint cinnabar mark appeared.


    With the mysterious stone dial pouring the essence of that martial art into his mind, Zhao Mu guarded his mind and remained calm throughout the ordeal.


    It was as though he turned into a Buddha that could experience everything without being shaken.


    He allowed all sorts of illusory images to come right at him!


    That was the unavoidable portion of the Tibetan Secret Scriptures. The stronger one¡¯s spirit was, the more realistic the illusions would be.


    Only by having an immovable heart would one conquer their own emotions and see through the illusions.


    That was like the legend of Gautama Buddha sitting below the Bodhi tree and suffering the disturbance from the Demon King Mara.


    One could only achieve enlightenment by remaining unmoved by the distraction.


    ¡°Is this the trial one must pass through in the eighth Mortal Stage of Spiritual Transformation?¡±


    Zhao Mu immediately understood that the spirit was illusory in nature, something that was unseen and untouchable.


    By guiding the essence of the world and letting it interact, it would create all sorts of strange phenomena.


    If one¡¯s mind was insufficiently firm, then it would be easy to lose oneself.


    Using the logic from his previous life, the Tibetan Secret Scriptures was equivalent to a current that stimulates one¡¯s brainwave. With that, it would change the magnetic field of a living being to affect the magnetic field in the vicinity, finally achieving the terrifying stage of affecting the material world with one¡¯s spirit alone.


    During that time, all sorts of wonderful, horrible, or irresistible illusions appeared in his mind.


    They were illusions manifested from his subconscious.


    An unknown amount of time passed.


    Zhao Mu remained conscious the entire time.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    He felt as though lightning was trying to strike through his skull!


    There was a sudden change in his consciousness!


    He could clearly sense that his thoughts had turned into something physical, transforming into a clear and pure diamond-like rock that shined brilliantly.


    ¡°What a weird experience.¡±


    Being his first time cultivating a spiritual art, Zhao Mu felt a novel experience.


    Putting on his robe, he got up and walked out of the bedchamber.


    Meow!


    Turning around, he saw a stray cat of mixed colors lying in a corner of the walkway.


    The cold palace was desolate and people hardly cleaned it over the years.


    It was teeming with stray cats, rats, and other small animals.


    ¡°Why not give it a try?¡±


    Zhao Mu silently activated the Tibetan Secret Scriptures.


    His spirit was like an arrow shot from the bow, shooting out from him silently.


    He placed a seed of imprinting thought on that stray cat.


    Swoosh!


    He could see the stray cat that was dozing off standing up like a human.


    With its hind legs on the ground, its paws curled up to make a greeting motion.


    Although the body was stumbling about as though it would fall over anytime, it still completed the greeting motion.


    ¡°This is truly amazing. It¡¯s so difficult to defend against!¡±


    Zhao Mu had a satisfied look on his face.


    He imprinted the thought of greeting into the stray cat¡¯s body.


    That thought quickly germinated and grew like a seed.


    From there, it urged the stray cat without sentience to make such an unbelievably shocking motion.


    If he imprinted his thoughts into someone else¡¯s heart, wouldn¡¯t that allow him to act with impunity?


    ¡°The cultivation of spiritual arts is like steering a boat in the middle of a raging sea. With the slightest negligence, one would suffer from Qi deviation and be destroyed.¡±


    Zhao Mu recalled the warning written within the Tibetan Secret Scriptures.


    He did not plan to abuse it. Instead, he merely borrowed the essence of this art to help him see through the secrets of the eighth Mortal Stage of Spiritual Transformation.

 Chapter 31

    Taiwei Palace was the grandest architecture in the imperial palace. It was open and spacious.


    Various halls were interconnected.


    The buildings were tall with edges of the roofs pointing skyward.


    It was like a heavenly palace that reached into the clouds.


    ¡°Dear ambassador, the banquet has begun. You may take your seats.¡±


    The young eunuch leading the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s ambassador envoy turned around, coincidentally catching the shocked looks on the barbarians¡¯ faces. He could not help but chuckle internally, ¡®They have yet to see the grandeur of the world after all. It¡¯s understandable for them to be intimidated by the magnificence of this great country.¡¯


    The barbarians of the Yuanmeng Empire had been living in open tents for generations and would never see such amazing architecture.


    However, the young eunuch from the Entourage Attendance Directorate heard a rugged voice coming from behind him soon after, ¡°The imperial city sure is grand! It¡¯s spacious with huge buildings. It¡¯s fit for the Khan!¡±


    The young eunuch¡¯s smiling face immediately froze up.


    That kind of disrespectful and insolent words was spoken by the fearsome burly man without a care.


    ¡®Such insolence! These barbarians don¡¯t have the slightest clue about etiquette!¡¯


    The eunuch screamed internally. However, he knew of his measly standing and dared not show the slightest hint of anger.


    His reaction was picked up by Moro, whose disgust grew stronger upon noticing it.


    ¡®The people of Zhou are weak like sheep, naturally destined to be devoured by hungry wolves,¡¯ Moro thought to himself.


    The Great Boundless Palace had an extraordinarily high status in the Yuanmeng Plains. The Imperial Preceptor Phags-pa was seen as the living Buddha among men.


    He held greater respect from the people compared to Taichiud Khan who united the tribes.


    The eight disciples under him were the Eight Divisions.


    Each of them a Master or a Guru.


    It was due to the existence of the Great Boundless Palace.


    People from the tribes of the plains believed in the Eternal Heaven. All were devout followers of the Vajrayana.


    The overlap of religion and the nation was beyond one¡¯s imagination.


    Moro was the combat powerhouse of the Great Boundless Palace. He would always invade the Middle Plain with his wolf riders to conquer parts of the Divine Continent, expanding their territory while robbing the Divine Continent¡¯s wealth.


    On this trip to Tianjing City, he wanted to personally witness what did the Zhou Kingdom, the leader of the four great nations, looked like.


    From his experience along the way, it strengthened Moro¡¯s view that the people of the Zhou Kingdom were weak and cowardly.


    They would submit to the strong, born with a natural instinct to be ruled over.


    Only the fearless men of the plains were worthy of owning such fertile lands.


    ¡°Be careful. There¡¯s an expert.¡±


    The Gandharva, who had a sensitive spiritual sense, frowned lightly as she said in a hushed tone.


    She attracted everyone¡¯s gaze like a magnet the moment she entered the Taiwei Palace and took her seat.


    It was as though they had just witnessed a goddess and were intoxicated by the sight.


    The ministers and generals were not to be blamed for their lack of control.


    It was due to the Gandharva¡¯s strength. Each of her motions carried the air of an immortal, seducing their souls and made it impossible for them to turn their gaze away.


    ¡°Expert?¡±


    Moro looked over, following her gaze.


    He saw an old monk wearing green and black monk robes.


    He had a kind and gentle appearance.


    ¡°Peak of the seventh Mortal Stage, Titan Stage.¡±


    Moro felt slightly unnerved.


    In his eyes, that old monk seemed to be seated under a Bodhi tree while being guarded by a white tiger.


    That old thinly body let out a golden glow as though a descended Arhat, giving off a mighty presence.


    ¡°He¡¯s only one step away from reaching the Spiritual Transformation Stage!¡±


    That person seemed to be warping reality and manifesting illusions to his senses.


    Those were signs of someone close to breaking free from the limitations of the physical body and developing one¡¯s spirit.


    ¡°We¡¯re not his match,¡± the Gandharva stated calmly.


    The Heavenly Dragon Temple¡¯s fame as one of the Ten Great Sects was well-founded.


    The depth of the old monk¡¯s strength was unfathomable.


    ¡°Hehe, so what?¡±


    Moro did not appear flustered. He used a voice transmission technique and said, ¡°I¡¯ve won seven matches consecutively in three days within Tianjing City and have humiliated the people of Zhou. I¡¯ve accomplished my goal.


    ¡°Once we return, I¡¯ll tell the Khan that we¡¯ll only need three years before we can charge southward with our wolf riders!¡±


    The Gandharva¡¯s red lips opened slightly as she let out a soft chuckle and said, ¡°Moro, don¡¯t underestimate the martial arts experts in the Middle Plain. Putting the Ten Great Sects aside, just Marquis Zhao Kai and that mysterious Grand Commander Guardian¡­might be beyond our abilities to handle.


    ¡°You should know the Great Master fell under the Grand Commander¡¯s hand, causing him to lose his vitality and die from the failure of his Qi.¡±


    Moro did not seem to care and refuted, ¡°Our master¡¯s strength now is beyond the Great Master.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, I¡¯ve humiliated the people of Zhou so much but that Grand Commander did not show himself at all. He might have died a long time ago.


    ¡°Even if he managed to barely survive, he wouldn¡¯t be a match for our master!¡±


    In Moro¡¯s view, the Innate Grandmaster was not a Human Immortal of the tenth Mortal Stage who could live a total of 500 years after perfecting one¡¯s body and locking the Qi within oneself.


    With his lifespan near the limit and dying away, how much of his strength would remain?


    Even if that Grand Commander continued living on, he would only add to the lives taken by his own master.


    Right when the Gandharva was trying to say something, the bell suddenly rang three times.


    The sound was clear as it echoed throughout the Taiwei Palace.


    She kept her mouth shut and looked toward the Emperor of Zhou walking out slowly.


    Behind him were Marquis Zhao Kai and the princes.


    They took their seats and the banquet began.


    It started with some singing and dancing, followed by the Yuanmeng ambassador envoy sending their representative to negotiate with the members from the Ministry of Rites to sign the Alliance treaty.


    The Gandharva sat in place without moving as she could not be bothered with those worldly affairs.


    Instead, she blatantly stared at the majestic Emperor of Zhou.


    She felt the emperor was like an old golden dragon seating on the throne, only giving off a strong exterior while his fortune wilted away.


    Meanwhile, Marquis Zhao Kai behind the emperor was like a scorching sun, giving off a domineering aura.


    The rest of the princes were not worth her attention.


    They were mundane and were considered commoners.


    From that, one could see that the Zhou Kingdom¡¯s fortune was deteriorating.


    ¡°Eh¡­¡±


    The Gandharva excelled in divination and strategy. Her gaze slightly refocused and landed upon the last kid at the end of the princes¡¯ seats.


    Moro seemed to have noticed it as well and shifted his gaze over too.


    A hint of surprise appeared on his menacing face.


    Two of the Eight Divisions from the Great Boundless Palace exchanged looks and tried to understand what each had to say.


    ¡°Innate Buddhist Disciple!¡±


    ¡°Reincarnated spiritual child!¡±


    The Gandharva suppressed her urge.


    When the alliance treaty signing was over and the banquet was at its end, she finally stood up and walked up to the front, saying, ¡°Great Saint of Zhou, I¡¯ve heard the Divine Continent is teeming with martial arts with as many varying arts as the stars in the sky, countless heroes like the pearls in the ocean.¡±


    She had an elegant pose and a gentle voice.


    The Gandharva¡¯s beauty and figure immediately attracted the attention of many in the great hall.


    They paid no heed to the contents of her speech and nodded along.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Marquis Zhao Kai frowned and flicked his finger on the desk, making a clear sound.


    It was like a giant bell that awakened the charmed crowd.


    ¡°Lust leads to the destruction of the body!¡±


    The righteous Imperial Tutor Wen was not charmed as well. He swept a stern look at the ministers in the hall and scoffed at them in a cold voice.


    The ministers who lacked willpower and self-control immediately lowered their heads in embarrassment.


    ¡°Imperial tutor, it¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no need to reprimand them too much.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou waved. He had the Imperial Dragon Qi protecting him and was impervious to the effects of regular martial arts.


    ¡°The Saint once said that taste drives the mouth, lust drives the eyes, and sound drives the ears. They are but natural instincts.¡±


    ¡°Master Miaozhu did not do it intentionally. When one¡¯s martial arts cultivation is deep, one¡¯s spirit is manifested in each and every action. There¡¯s no need to be surprised.¡±


    The Gandharva bowed lightly and placed her hands together as she said, ¡°Thank you for your magnanimity.


    ¡°When I departed from the Great Boundless Palace, my master told me that he longed for the culture of the Divine Continent and yearned to spar with the experts from the Middle Plain to learn.


    ¡°My Senior Brother Moro is uneducated in etiquette and said many contemptuous words. However, he¡¯s only doing so to attract the martial arts experts into Tianjing City in order to fulfill my master¡¯s wishes.¡±


    Hearing the Gandharva¡¯s unhurried explanation, the entire hall fell into silence, not understanding what she was trying to say.


    ¡°The Middle Plain has an old of ¡®the disciple serves the need of the master¡¯.


    ¡°Therefore, dear Saint of Zhou, I¡¯m willing to trade five thousand warhorses from the Yuanmeng Plains for a chance for a martial arts sparring!¡±


    Surprise, shock, and confusion!


    The Gandharva¡¯s words immediately stirred up a powerful reaction.


    5,000 warhorses from the Yuanmeng Plains. That was a great gift.


    At the Zhou Kingdom¡¯s peak, they had 400,000 warhorses at the borders.


    Along with the horses within Tianjing City¡¯s army camp, ministerial horse, and messenger horses, it came to a total of approximately 900,000.


    However, with the lack of warfare for a long time, the Horse Management had grown slack and by then, their numbers were almost halved.


    Even when the Emperor of Zhou wished to revolutionize the kingdom, he could not come up with a good solution in a short time.


    Nevertheless, the Gandharva claimed to use 5,000 Yuanmeng warhorses in exchange to spar with martial arts experts of the Zhou Kingdom.


    That was as good as delivering them as a gift!


    The deal was just too good!


    ¡°Who would you like to spar with? Marquis Zhao Kai?¡± The Emperor of Zhou asked with a smile.


    ¡°Marquis Zhao Kai has great strength and is renowned for several decades. He¡¯s not someone we can hope to spar with.¡±


    The Gandharva shook her head, then looked at the calm and collected head of Prajna Hall, Master Yuanhui.


    ¡°I¡¯ve long heard of the Heavenly Dragon Temple¡¯s deep understanding of Buddhism and martial arts. I would like to experience it today. Is that permissible?¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou looked at Marquis Zhao Kai seated below him as though asking for advice.


    The latter nodded slightly. Master Yuanhui¡¯s cultivation stage was far beyond Moro and the Gandharva, Master Miaozhu.


    ¡°What does the Master think of this?¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou looked over to the old skinny monk in his seat.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Master Yuanhui¡¯s hazy eyes moved slightly as he accepted it.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s a duel, there should be an ante.¡±


    The Gandharva voiced out once again.


    ¡°What would the Saint of Zhou use as an ante of equal value?¡±


    The Emperor was caught slightly off guard but quickly recovered his wits. He chuckled in embarrassment and said, ¡°Dear Master, do tell what has caught your eye.¡±


    The Gandharva had a gentle smile like that of a springtime breeze. She pointed and said, ¡°I feel that the Eleventh Prince of Zhou is fated to Buddhism and can be a successor of the Great Boundless Palace!¡±

 Chapter 32

    Successor to the Great Boundless Palace?


    The Gandharva¡¯s words tossed up a great wave.


    It caused an uproar in the crowd!


    The ministers, princes, and even the Emperor of Zhou all turned their gaze to Zhao Yuan, who was eating snacking on dried fruits. They had a strange look in their eyes.


    The young Eleventh Prince seemed to pick up on the strange occurrence.


    He looked up and saw his father, the imperial tutor, and everyone staring at him.


    Although he did not know what happened, he still subconsciously tried to straighten his back.


    He also wiped the stains at the edge of his lips and tried to put on a well-behaved look.


    ¡°Master must be joking. Yuan¡¯er is still young and his talents lacking. Living Buddha Phags-pa would not choose him.¡±


    The atmosphere was tense for some time. The Emperor of Zhou laughed it off and steered the conversation away.


    He did not take it seriously and even thought of it as a joke.


    That was because the Gandharva¡¯s words were too serious and were not something to be mentioned so casually.


    Anyone with some understanding of the Great Boundless Palace would understand that only the Buddhist Disciple handpicked by the Imperial Preceptor Phags-Pa could be considered as the successor. It was akin to a legacy disciple.


    Take the King of Yakshas and Gandharva of the Eight Divisions for example.


    They were merely inner disciples taken into the sect by the Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor and would at most be given the honorary titles of Master and Guru.


    They had no right to inherit the Great Boundless Palace in the future.


    ¡°Dear Saint of Zhou, this is not a joke.¡±


    The Gandharva replied seriously.


    The Great Boundless Palace did not have many honorary titles.


    It represented a high social standing and excellent root bone.


    The highest of them was Buddhist Disciple, followed by Master, and lastly Guru.


    Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor Phags-pa was a rare Buddhist Disciple.


    As for his master, he was only given the title of Master.


    Because of that, the Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor was able to surpass Master Zhizhu.


    The Gandharva, who was born with an exceptional spiritual sense, was also considered to have the second-grade root bone of a Master.


    The moment she laid her eyes on the Eleventh Prince, she had a strong premonition that he was the person the Great Boundless Palace was looking for!


    That was the reason she was willing to use 5,000 Yuanmeng warhorses as an ante to tempt the Emperor of Zhou to agree to the gamble.


    ¡°I have cultivated the Great Samsara Sense and could sense all the karma and fortune of the world.¡±


    The Gandharva had a smile on her face and said in a sincere tone, ¡°The Eleventh Prince has the rare fortune of a Buddhist Disciple. He is born with natural wisdom and zen. He is worthy of becoming the next successor to the Great Boundless Palace.


    ¡°For that reason, I beg of your permission for this gamble to take place.


    ¡°If I can best this master from the Heavenly Dragon Temple by chance, I hope to bring the Eleventh Prince along to the great snowy mountain for training and help him learn the ways of Buddhism.


    ¡°If I lose, then we will deliver the five thousand elite warhorses within three days.¡±


    Seeing the Gandharva¡¯s sincerity, the Emperor of Zhou was quite reluctant.


    He looked over to Zhao Yuan who was seated upright and felt hesitant.


    If the Yuanmeng ambassador envoy asked for the Eleventh Prince as a hostage because of the Zhou Kingdom¡¯s loss, he would surely lose his temper and refuse their request despite risking both nations going to war as that would tarnish the dignity of the kingdom.


    However, to be the next successor of the Great Boundless Palace was not a humiliating thing.


    It was quite the opposite. If Zhao Yuan was truly favored by the Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor and taken in as a legacy disciple, then he would have the chance to take over the Great Boundless Palace in the future. For the Zhou Kingdom, there were only benefits and no drawbacks.


    On one hand, it was for the bigger picture and benefits.


    On the other hand was his own child, his family.


    The Emperor of Zhou considered for a moment, then stood up slowly and said in a calm tone, ¡°This matter¡­we will talk about it later.¡±


    A clear bell sound rang within Taiwei Hall.


    According to proper etiquette, Marquis Zhao Kai and the princes took their leave first, then followed by the ministers and the Yuanmeng ambassador envoy.


    Before they left, the Gandharva¡¯s eyes brightened.


    She stared intently at Zhao Yuan with a gentle expression on her face.


    ¡°Evil woman!¡±


    The Eleventh Prince scoffed with an icy and gloomy expression.


    He had no intention of leaving the Zhou Kingdom to some secluded plains with some monks to study scriptures and be a vegetarian.


    That would mean his separation from his brother and never seeing each other again.


    The banquet ended and news spread across the imperial city.


    The request for a duel from Gandharva of the Great Boundless Palace to the head of Prajna Hall, Master Yuanhui was publicized in a short time!


    Although the Emperor of Zhou had yet to give a clear confirmation, the princes, concubines, consorts, eunuchs of the inner court, and others all felt that His Majesty would most likely agree to it.


    Even if not taking into account the boost of their military power at the borders with the 5,000 warhorses, just the prospects of being the future master of the Great Boundless Palace, the legacy disciple of Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor Phags-pa, was sufficient to move the heart of any martial artist.


    That was an Innate Grandmaster!


    An existence listed on the top five positions of the ranking board!


    ¡°I think the luck of the Eleventh Prince is about to change.¡±


    ¡°If he could become the Vajrayana¡¯s Living Buddha in the future and command the various tribes of the plains, then the barbarians of Yuanmeng Empire would no longer dare to invade our borders!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The Zhou Kingdom will then be at peace and no longer fear any outside threat. It¡¯s wonderful news! His Majesty has no reason to reject!¡±


    Those were the discussions among the ministers.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I have such amazing luck to join the sect of an Innate Grandmaster?!¡±


    ¡°Innate wisdom, the heart of zen, and Buddhist nature! Did the Gandharva appraise wrongly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that father is tempted. However, is the Gandharva from the Great Boundless Palace confident of besting Master Yuanhui from the Heavenly Dragon Temple?¡±


    Those were the thoughts of the princes.


    To that matter, people were expectant, in agreement, jealous, suspicious, and various attitudes.


    The only thing they had in common was that nobody cared for the feelings of the Eleventh Prince, Zhao Yuan, nor did anyone tried to ask him for his thoughts on the matter.


    ¡°Your highness, it¡¯s late. I¡¯m afraid the Tenth Prince has already gone to bed,¡± said the eunuch holding a lantern before him as he bowed.


    ¡°Moreover, only His Majesty¡¯s view matters in this matter. Nothing others say would matter.¡±


    Departing from Taiwei Hall, Zhao Yuan had a blank expression as he quickly walked up to the door of the Eternal Happiness Palace.


    In the grand imperial city, only his brother could give him a slight feeling of comfort and warmth.


    However, hearing the eunuch¡¯s statement, he could not help but stop in his tracks.


    ¡°If I¡¯m unwilling to head to Yuanmeng Empire, Father might not force¡­¡± Zhao Yuan mumbled as he looked in the direction of the Hanging Arch Palace.


    At the same time, his face showed a hint of doubt and fear, betraying his real feelings.


    ¡°Your Highness, your humble servant thinks that this is a good thing.¡±


    The eunuch holding the lantern had been serving the Eleventh Prince since young and was very close to him. He said with a sigh, ¡°Previously, you were troubled all the time because of the Tenth Prince being sent away to the Tong Province to watch the imperial tomb.


    ¡°Now that you have an opportunity presenting itself to you, why do you hesitate?¡±


    Zhao Yuan was slightly stunned. He then looked to the plaque of the Eternal Happiness Palace.


    The eunuch suggested a plan, ¡°If Your Highness volunteers to head to the Yuanmeng Empire and follow the tutelage of the Imperial Preceptor Phags-pa, you can beg His Majesty to retract his order before you leave and let the Tenth Prince continue staying in the cold palace instead of sending him to the Tong Province. I believe you have a high likelihood of convincing him.


    ¡°Moreover, Your Highness claim that you want to be a top-tier expert in the world of martial arts and become an Innate Grandmaster to help the Tenth Prince regain his freedom.


    ¡°Who else other than the Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor Phags-pa would be a better master for you to achieve your goals?¡±


    Zhao Yuan¡¯s hand gripped tightly on the edge of his clothes. His expression kept changing as though he was considering the matter seriously.


    ¡°I¡¯ll not be seeing my brother tonight.¡±


    After standing in place for some time, the Eleventh Prince tossed his sleeve as he turned around and left.


    His gait was a little unstable as the shadow from his short figure was stretched long by the lantern¡¯s light.

 Chapter 33

    A few days later, the Emperor of Zhou agreed to the Great Boundless Palace¡¯s duel request with the Heavenly Dragon Temple as expected. Moreover, the location was set to be in the Heroes¡¯ Palace.


    The Gandharva, peak of the sixth Mortal Stage of Qi Refinement.


    Master Yuanhui, head of Prajna Hall at the seventh Mortal Stage of Titan.


    One from the Great Boundless Palace, one from the Heavenly Dragon Temple.


    Both were competing in martial arts and Buddhist teachings.


    From their cultivation level, sect, to other aspects, all were highly regarded.


    However, most people were still favoring Master Yuanhui.


    The head of Prajna Hall who had great strength and well learned in Buddhism had the nickname of Dharma in the world of martial arts.


    The Heavenly Dragon Temple had 72 ultimate techniques they pass down in generations. He had learned 37 of them by himself, and all of them at the completion level, placing him first among other heads.


    In regards to his martial knowledge and talent, they were unimaginable.


    That was the reason he was given the title of Dharma.


    It was meant as praise for Master Yuanhui¡¯s innate affinity.


    Know one, know all. A mark of a true master of martial arts.


    ¡°Who do you think will win?¡±


    Within the Hanging Arch Palace, the Emperor of Zhou asked softly.


    Marquis Zhao Kai who sat below him frowned. He contemplated for a moment before answering, ¡°If it were purely from a martial arts standpoint, the Gandharva is definitely not his match.


    ¡°I have experienced the Heavenly Dragon Temple¡¯s Dharma Yuanhui in the past.


    ¡°Within ten moves, the Gandharva will be heavily injured. Beyond fifteen moves, she will surely die!¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou tapped his fingers against the chair, creating a series of ¡°thock¡± sounds.


    He fell silent for a moment, then asked, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why would the Gandharva issue the challenge?¡±


    Marquis Zhao Kai remained silent. He thought about it carefully for some time, then replied in a deep voice, ¡°The Gandharva is still a Master after all. Her root bone is exceptional and has a keen spiritual sense.


    ¡°Previously, when Moro provoked the various experts in Tianjing City, it was because of her obscure techniques that allowed him to win seven consecutive matches.


    ¡°From that, we can ascertain that they have no honor and like to pull petty tricks.


    ¡°If the Gandharva is confident, it is likely that she has something to rely on!¡±


    Hearing Marquis Zhao Kai¡¯s statement, the Emperor of Zhou¡¯s frown suddenly relaxed.


    His tapping fingers stopped too.


    ¡°Your Majesty is planning to let the Gandharva win?¡±


    Marquis Zhao Kai was at the peak of the Spiritual Transformation Stage.


    He had an acute sense of the emotional state of a person and their mental fluctuations.


    ¡°Yuanmeng Empire is an external threat that the Zhou Kingdom has to get rid of. Striking at their heart and wiping them out completely would require at least the efforts of six generations!¡±


    The emperor did not bother hiding and said bluntly, ¡°The barbarians are like wild grass and there¡¯s no end to them. Instead of setting enmity with them through war, why don¡¯t we learn from the Vajrayana and control them with religion?¡±


    Marquis Zhao Kai perked his brow and join in agreement, ¡°Your Majesty has excellent vision!¡±


    The emperor shook his head gently and sighed, ¡°There¡¯s no other way. If Yuan¡¯er can go under the tutelage of the Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor and take control over the Great Boundless Palace, then he would be Living Buddha respected by millions. That would be a lot better compared to being an emperor of the Zhou Kingdom.


    ¡°By then, Zhao¡¯er would take over the Zhou Kingdom and Yuan¡¯er will lead the plains. North and South, the brothers can help each other and let the world enjoy peace.¡±


    The calm and steady Marquis Zhao Kai suddenly asked, ¡°What about the Eleventh Prince?¡±


    The emperor¡¯s expression turned serious and said calmly, ¡°Yuan¡¯er smart. He will naturally agree to it for the cursed child he misses so much in the cold palace.¡±


    While he said that, he threw a look at Chen Chaoen who was nearby.


    The emperor had made the decision long ago after the banquet ended.


    The eunuch by Zhao Yuan¡¯s side was a spy arranged by the Ceremonial Directorate.


    Otherwise, how could he give out advice that would resonate deeply with the Eleventh Prince¡¯s wishes?


    ¡°Tell me, am I being overly merciless?¡±


    The emperor lamented.


    Although born from the same mother, he favored the Eleventh Prince Zhao Yuan greatly.


    ¡°Your Majesty is doing it for the Zhou Kingdom, for the lives of many. Giving up on your personal feelings for the greater good is the way of a good emperor!¡± Marquis Zhao Kai stood up and said while greeting with his hands held together.


    ¡­


    No matter how secluded the Eternal Happiness Palace was, it was not fully separated from the world.


    News of the Eleventh Prince facing the likelihood of leaving Tianjing City to the Yuanmeng Empire still made its way to Zhao Mu¡¯s ears.


    A few old eunuchs and maids gathered to gossip.


    ¡°Who do you think the Eleventh Prince will wish to win? The Dharma? Or the Vajrayana monk?¡±


    ¡°If the Dharma wins, then the Zhou Kingdom will obtain five thousand war horses. If the Gandharva from Vajrayana wins, then the Eleventh Prince will be accepted into the Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor¡¯s sect¡­ If it were me, I¡¯ll surely want an Innate Grandmaster as my master!¡±


    ¡°His Highness is getting sent to the Tong Province¡¯s imperial tomb and his brother needs to travel beyond the great wall to that land of bitter cold. What a pity.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Didn¡¯t you notice the Eleventh Prince never visited over the past few days? His Highness can¡¯t even take a single step out of the cold palace and could only wait here.¡±


    Zhao Mu was speechless.


    His five senses were extremely sensitive. Zhao Mu, who had his spirit developed, stood at the doors of Longevity Hall.


    He overhead all the servants¡¯ discussions,


    Standing with hands behind his back, he had an empty expression and a calm gaze.


    He seemed to be devoid of anger and anxiety.


    Sometime later, Zhao Mu slowly walked up to the desk.


    Pouring some water onto the inkstone, he grabbed a stick of ink and slowly prepared the ink solution.


    That was something that required patience.


    The person preparing the ink must have a proper and upright posture.


    Strength must be distributed evenly and well-controlled.


    Only then would the ink come out thick, smooth, and have a good sheen.


    It took Zhao Mu 15 minutes to complete the ink preparation.


    From the brush rack, he picked out a purple-haired brush that Zhao Yuan gifted him.


    After spreading the paper and dabbing the ink, he started writing.


    In one breath, Zhao Mu wrote seven characters for ¡®silence¡¯.


    In the past, his calligraphy would be strong yet nimble like a dragon, firm, and elegant.


    It could be said to be at top-tier and was not far from an expert in the field.


    However, these characters before him were different.


    On the paper, the seven huge characters for silence were of poor form. They were crooked, as though ripped of a bone structure and lacked strength.


    ¡°Calm the heart, be at peace. How do I remain calm like this?¡±


    The corner of Zhao Mu¡¯s lips twitched. His hand holding the brush shook lightly and dropped some ink, staining the paper.


    His expressionless face was like an elegant and handsome sculpture within a temple. In the end, a hint of a cold smile appeared.


    Shiiiick!


    He tore the paper filled with the ¡®silence¡¯ character and started waving his brush once more.


    Huff! Huff! Huff!


    While he wrong, his chest heaved, giving off a labored breathing sound like a bellow.


    Droplets of sweat formed on his forehead as his face turned red, as though his blood and Qi were rushing to his head.


    The pores all over his body started expelling hot steam as if he was placed within a steamer.


    Based on Zhao Mu¡¯s sturdy physique and cultivation stage, even strenuous exercise would not result in that kind of exertion.


    He was tempering his spirit!


    Using the secret technique of the Tibetan Secret Scriptures, he was polishing his thoughts and developing his spirit.


    The more he focused his will and go through emotional turmoil, the more it exhausted his body and boiled his Qi.


    If it were a regular person, even a top-tiered expert at the Titan Stage would not dare to blatantly stimulate their spirit like Zhao Mu, much less someone at the fifth Mortal Stage.


    That was because one¡¯s essence, Qi, and spirit were all one.


    If one¡¯s spirit gets depleted, the body would also suffer damage.


    That was like how someone would easily feel hungry while being focused on something, like reading a book.


    When suffering from a cold and not fully recovered, the body would be in a weakened state and one¡¯s mental state would be fatigued as well.


    Without the support of the body and Qi, one¡¯s mental energy would be like a rootless tree or sourceless water, unable to function.


    It was only because Zhao Mu had refined the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir and tempered his body to an almost perfect state that he could bear such a terrifying strain.


    ¡°Stars move when the heavens harbor killing intent! Dragons and snakes rise when the land harbors killing intent!¡±


    Zhao Mu finished writing seven huge characters. He let go of the purple-haired brush in his hand and said with the utmost calm voice, ¡°Heaven and earth will be flipped when humans harbor killing intent!¡±


    He slowly closed his eyes and let his spirit rest.


    On the white paper were seven huge characters that were deeply imprinted as though they were hacked out by sabers and axes.


    ¡°KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL¡±

 Chapter 34

    After writing the seven ¡®Kill¡¯ characters, Zhao Mu felt the pent-up violence within him being swept away.


    When he overheard the servants¡¯ discussions, even reciting the Frozen Heart Mantra repeatedly could not hold back the terrible killing intent welling up within him.


    Being imprisoned in the cold palace for 12 long years, Zhao Mu had long given up on the relationship with his father.


    He never had any hope that the emperor would one day walk into the desolate cold palace to meet with a cursed child like him and show him some kindness.


    One reason being that he had transmigrated from a different world and placed no importance on his bloodline.


    Another reason would be out of rational thought. He had a clear understanding of the situation he was in.


    ¡®He believes in fate and thinks that I would bring harm to my family, therefore harbor hatred for me, which is understandable,¡¯ Zhao Mu thought wordlessly to himself as his emotions fluctuated.


    ¡®However, what sin did Little Yuan commit?¡¯


    He refused to believe the emperor would be ignorant of the method the Great Boundless Palace chose their successors.


    Buddhist Disciple, Master, and Guru.


    Anyone with one of those three categories of root bone was eligible to be the Living Buddha¡¯s legacy disciple.


    They would be taken to the great snowy mountain.


    Three years of initiation along with the monks;


    Three years of studying the Vajrayana scriptures;


    Three years of alms round;


    Three years of asceticism and evangelizing.


    It would come to a total of 12 years.


    Finally, the Living Buddha himself would pick out a true successor based on their performance and ability.


    For someone to endure loneliness, cold weather, and polish one¡¯s heart may sound like some minor ordeal.


    However, that was not the case in reality.


    The standards of choosing a legacy disciple depended solely on one¡¯s root bone. The Eight Divisions of the Great Boundless Palace and its Five Sects would send people to seek out children from the tribes in the plains, or even from the Divine continent itself for those with similar root bones and bring them back to the great snow mountain.


    Only one true successor would emerge among several hundred legacy disciples!


    People only think of the glory of the Living Buddha of the plains, the master of the Great Boundless Palace.


    However, they did not know that the Lotus Throne was built among a mountain of corpses.


    ¡°How can he be so ruthless?¡±


    Zhao Mu pursed his lips. He did not know if that question was for himself, or the noble emperor.


    The Gandharva was a Master herself, but why did she end up as one of the Eight Divisions and take up discipleship under Phags-pa¡¯s to fight for the place of the next Living Buddha?


    One could guess why.


    The Eight Divisions of the Great Boundless Palace were Heaven, Dragon, Yaksha, Gandharva, Asura, Karura, Kinnara, and Mahoraga, the eight guardians.


    Apart from the Living Buddha himself, they had the highest status.


    The Five Sects were the Red Sect, Bodhi Sect, White Sect, Flower Sect, and Yellow Sect.


    Over many years, because of their different understanding of religious doctrines, they have branched out to five different lineages.


    From that, one could surmise that the Great Boundless Palace which influenced the entire Yuanmeng Empire was not fully united within. They had some infighting.


    When the time came to chose a candidate as the Living Buddha¡¯s legacy disciple, it was then the competition between them was fiercest.


    Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor Phags-pa came from the White Sect¡¯s Gancao Temple.


    Relying on his exceptional talent and martial arts, he came up above the many legacy disciples.


    After he became the Living Buddha, the Flower Sect immediately attained greater standing and suppressed the other four sects.


    Because of that, this time¡¯s selection for legacy disciple would directly affect the power structure of the Great Boundless Palace for the next 200 years.


    The dangers involved were obvious.


    Zhao Mu gently opened his eyes which regained their calm gaze and pressed his lips thin.


    All in all, once one gets involved with the infighting of the Eight Divisions and Five Sects, one could only become the next Living Buddha of the Great Boundless Palace by stepping on the corpses of others.


    Otherwise, one would only become a stepping stone for others to be trampled over.


    Looking at it from various perspectives, if Zhao Yuan went beyond the great wall to the Yuanmeng Empire, he would most likely be persecuted and end up dying in a foreign land.


    ¡°Fortunately Huo Rulie had some knowledge of the Ten Great Sects.¡±


    Zhao Mu laughed sarcastically.


    It was understandable for him to be ignorant as he was living in the cold palace for the entire time.


    However, the Emperor of Zhou had the Black Dragon Altar working for him.


    Any rumors and news circulating within the imperial court and the world of martial arts would be known to him, yet he would knowingly accept the Gandharva¡¯s challenge.


    Was that based on his confidence in the Heavenly Dragon Temple, or out of his greed for the 5,000 warhorses?


    Or rather, he was set of letting his own son fight for the glorious position of the Great Boundless Palace¡¯s Living Buddha?


    ¡°For that slim chance, he¡¯s willing to sacrifice his own son¡­Hmph!¡±


    Zhao Mu lowered his head and looked at the seven characters of ¡°Kill¡± written on the white paper. The ink was like bloodstains, striking fear into the reader.


    He could feel a wave of terrible aura rushing to his face.


    It felt as though swords and sabers were drawn out at the same time, filled with bloodlust.


    Even with just a glance, it gave one the terrible feeling as though standing on a mountain of corpses in an Asura¡¯s killing field.


    One could even hear the illusory warcries and angry roars.


    That was Zhao Mu¡¯s spiritual manifestation to polish his mental state.


    He refined the violence and murderous aura within his heart.


    Using brush and ink, he imprinted them on the white paper.


    If someone of weak will had the unfortunate chance to look at those seven characters, they would likely be scared witless and pass out immediately.


    That was the profundity of someone at the Spiritual Transformation Stage.


    With the transformation of the spirit, one could affect the world with their spirit.


    With that, one could twist another¡¯s heart and confound the five senses.


    ¡°The past few days, I¡¯ve condensed two hundred and thirty thoughts using the Tibetan Secret Scriptures. It¡¯s about time to put it to use.¡±


    Zhao Mu took a deep breath and crumpled the paper into a ball before shooting out a line of fire to destroy it.


    The reason he wrote those with his thoughts imprinted via his spirit was as preparations to counter the Gandharva.


    The old eunuchs and maids in the Eternal Happiness Palace were right. He was still unable to leave the cold palace.


    Before he becomes a grandmaster, he must never go out.


    That was a goal Zhao Mu set.


    The Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor was suppressing the world outside.


    Moreover, there was the grand world of martial arts run by the Ten Great Sects and Six Sacred Grounds.


    Even if Zhao Mu left the cold palace, he would still lack freedom.


    Only by becoming an Innate Grandmaster could he break free from his shackles.


    ¡®There¡¯s no need to kill with my own hands.¡¯


    Zhao Mu thought up his plans, then left the desk with hands behind his back.


    He stepped out of the gates into the walkway.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    He walked around the palace a few times before finally stopping in his tracks.


    There was a kind smile on his face as he waved at the cat that put on a lot of weight.


    ¡­


    Several days passed.


    News of the challenge spread throughout the imperial city. The challenge that garnered the attention of many experts within Tianjing City was about to start.


    On the field in front of the Heroes¡¯ Hall, there was a yellow imperial umbrella with royal guards surrounding it.


    The Emperor of Zhou was seated on a golden throne with Marquis Zhao Kai beside him.


    Below the platform were the princes.


    This time, Zhao Yuan was no longer seated at the end.


    He was in the second seat, right behind the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace.


    It was obvious his status has changed.


    Further in the back was a wooden arena built in a hurry overnight.


    The square arena filled up the entire empty plot.


    Master Yuanhui, the head of Prajna Hall from the Heavenly Dragon Temple sat to the right side with his eyes half-closed.


    ¡°That Yuanmeng barbarian truly has no etiquette. How dare they make His Majesty wait!¡± Huffed Chen Chaoen, the old eunuch standing beside the emperor.


    If those two were not backed by the Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor Phags-pa of the Great Boundless Palace, he would have killed them with a palm strike.


    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? It¡¯s not time yet.¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou said cheerfully. His gaze occasionally landing on the emotionless Zhao Yuan.


    ¡°I heard that martial artists would often arrive late on purpose to make the opponent wait and grow impatient, causing them to lose control of their emotions which leads to the latecomer¡¯s victory.¡±


    Marquis Zhao Kai nodded lightly and voiced his agreement, ¡°That¡¯s psychological warfare, but it¡¯s not the best move.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    The emperor had a curious look.


    Marquis Zhao Kai explained slowly, ¡°Trying to run and delay the battle. Such actions suggest a lack of confidence. If the opponent is calm, unaffected, and displayed confidence, then they could win without fighting.¡±


    The emperor clasped his hands together and laughed, praising, ¡°In terms of martial arts and tactics, Marquis Zhao Kai truly has better observation!¡±


    While they were conversing, a thunderous roar broke out suddenly.


    It spread like thunder, echoing throughout the imperial palace¡ª


    ¡°Out of the way!¡±


    After that, it was followed by the muffled sound of a fist hitting a body.


    ¡°Who dare misbehave in the imperial city!?¡±


    Marquis Zhao Kai remained seated with a vicious look in his eyes.


    His spiritual oppression suddenly burst forth like the sun, spreading outward in all directions and enveloping the surrounding.


    Chen Chaoen from the Ceremonial Directorate narrowed his eyes. It was as though he had broken through the limits of a human¡¯s body and observed the scene happening outside of the Heroes¡¯ Hall.


    ¡°Your Majesty, that¡¯s Moro, the King of Yakshas!¡±


    The powerful old eunuch had a surprised look on his face.


    Moro seemed to have met with a fierce battle. The robe on the monk was covered in blood.


    His sculpted and sturdy body was also covered in wounds.


    While Chen Chaoen was speaking, Moro had already arrived before the Heroes¡¯ Hall.

 Chapter 35

    Moro, the King of Yakshas had a violent nature, to begin with.


    With him covered in blood, he looked like a terrible Asura. It made him look extra scary.


    Before Chen Chaoen beside the Emperor of Zhou could act, Master Yuanhui suddenly opened his eyes.


    They could not see how he moved. He stood upright and moved instantaneously to block Moro right before him.


    ¡°The Heavenly Dragon Temple has a total of seventy-two ultimate techniques. The Great Displacement Technique ranks forty-nine.¡±


    Marquis Zhao Kai beside the emperor commented right on time.


    ¡°This movement technique¡¯s essence lies in the movement of one¡¯s heart. Heart leads, intent, and intent, in turn, leads the body, making one¡¯s trajectory extremely unpredictable.¡±


    The emperor frowned.


    While he was listening intently, he was also wondering where the Gandharva was.


    No matter how brazen Moro might be, he should not dare to trespass into the imperial city to assassinate the emperor, right?


    That was just asking for death!


    Leaving aside the fact that the Heroes¡¯ Hall had Marquis Zhao Kai and Master Yuanhui standing guard, there was still Chief Eunuch Chen Chaoen from the Ceremonial Directorate by his side. Moro, being merely at the Titan Stage, would not be able to take Chen Chaoen on.


    ¡°Amitabha. Benefactor Moro, please stop.¡±


    Master Yuanhui had a skinny figure like that of an old dying tree.


    ¡°Heretic! Don¡¯t try to stop me!¡±


    Moro was like a madman, shouting out loud, ¡°I¡¯ll kill anyone in my path! KILL! KILL! KILL!¡±


    As he shouted, his muscular body emitted seven halos!


    It vaguely felt as though a terrible strength was suddenly bestowed on his body!


    Boom!


    Moro did not even bother to look and sent a palm strike forth!


    The powerful force caused the air around it to produce a crackling sound.


    Master Yuanhui did not move. His black and green monk robe fluttered in the wind and hugged tightly to his body.


    The head of Prajna Hall did not back off. His kind and gentle expression suddenly change into one of fury.


    ¡°Benefactor, you¡¯ve lost your senses!¡± Master Yuanhui bellowed forcefully.


    His fragile body burst forth with titan-like strength and made a similarly powerful palm strike.


    Crashing Stele Strike!


    The technique ranked seventh out of the 72 techniques!


    Bang!


    With a thunderous boom, the sturdy ground before the Heroes¡¯ Hall was filled with cracks that spread out like a spider¡¯s web.


    The foundations of the entire hall seemed to tremble!


    At the point of their palm strikes collided, the air rippled like the surface of a pond, stirring up transparent waves that could be seen by the naked eye.


    With the collision of two true Qis of similar domineering nature, it emitted a brilliant glow.


    Master Yuanhui did not move at all, standing firmly like a huge deeply rooted tree.


    Meanwhile, Moro resisted for a moment before appearing as though struck by lightning.


    His body shook violently as though he was going to collapse.


    He flew backward and crashed onto the ground.


    ¡°The Heavenly Dragon Temple¡¯s Crashing Stele Strike is not only fierce and powerful. They also have a hidden technique to displace strength.¡±


    Feeling bored, Marquis Zhao Kai took up the role of a commentator.


    ¡°It transforms one¡¯s strength and true Qi into a millstone. In a fight, a single palm strike would immediately shave off one-third of the opponent¡¯s strength. It¡¯s immensely powerful!¡±


    The emperor listened intently. He could not help but ask, ¡°How many moves do you think the Vajrayana monk can endure?¡±


    Marquis Zhao Kai contemplated for a moment before replying, ¡°Around thirty moves.¡±


    Although both were at the Titan Stage, any martial arts expert with a good eye could tell that Moro was no match for Master Yuanhui.


    The latter was only one step away from breaking through to the eighth Mortal Stage of Spiritual Transformation.


    He had already been vaguely touching upon the method to transform one¡¯s spirit and manifest his will.


    ¡°Moro, King of Yakshas cultivates one of the eight main techniques of the Great Boundless Palace, the Seven Chakras Diamond Technique. That technique is a very advanced endurance training art.¡±


    Seeing the emperor¡¯s growing interest, Marquis Zhao Kai continued, ¡°I¡¯ve heard one needs to train this technique from a young age and start soaking in Golden Broth¡ªa type of butter made with special methods.


    ¡°Rubbing that over the body would help strengthen the skin and make it tough as iron, giving one a natural physique beyond others.


    ¡°Other methods are also used in tandem to stimulate the muscles and strengthen one¡¯s Qi.


    ¡°Finally, by unblocking the seven Vajrayana chakras, one would obtain miraculous strength.


    ¡°Because of that, ever since this Vajrayana monk graduated, he could still crush his enemies with his immense strength even if he met another expert at the same cultivation stage.


    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate that he¡¯s run into Master Yuanhui. The head of Prajna Hall had long since completed his training and achieved the indestructible body.


    ¡°He has no weak point and his true Qi is pure and massive. Moro has lost his biggest advantage. His loss is just a matter of time.¡±


    Along with Marquis Zhao Kai¡¯s commentary, the two had already exchanged over a dozen moves, creating a massive scene.


    Martial experts of the Titan Stage carried terrifying strength with their every move.


    Thunderous strikes and cracking the ground beneath them, invisible blade-like waves rippled outward.


    The massive true Qi of the two parties clashed continuously and emitted a bright light.


    None were able to enter the area several dozen feet around them.


    ¡°Heretic! Stop meddling with my spirit!¡±


    Moro was truly a Titan Stage expert. His body¡¯s strength was unbelievable.


    He was still able to get back on his feet after taking several palm and fist strikes from Master Yuanhui.


    ¡°This person¡¯s mental state is in disarray. I¡¯m afraid his mind is affected.¡±


    Master Yuanhui had a profound understanding of Buddhist teachings.


    He was only one step away from manifesting his martial will.


    That was very close to the Spiritual Transformation Stage.


    After several exchanges, he immediately realized Moro¡¯s mental state was a mess and was beyond communication.


    Master Yuanhui did not make a lethal blow. He extended his index and middle fingers, putting them together, and placed them between his brows.


    Within the span of one thought, he shot out eight powerful prods!


    The pure and vast true Qi within his body surged forth like a wave, enveloping Moro who had no attack patterns and only focused on brute force.


    ¡°The Trouble Dispelling Finger technique ranked at the twelfth place!¡±


    Marquis Zhao Kai¡¯s solemn face seemed to show some mild changes.


    ¡°This is an exquisite finger technique.


    ¡°Dispelling all troubles with a single prod. It¡¯s a technique that utilizes the wisdom of supreme Zen to subdue an opponent¡¯s will!¡±


    Thonk thonk thonk thonk thonk thonk thonk thonk!


    Before Marquis Zhao Kai could finish, eight muffled sounds rang out consecutively.


    Master Yuanhui¡¯s eight powerful prods landed on Moro¡¯s body as though they were hitting a bell.


    ¡°What an amazing endurance training art! This unrivaled finger strength that can crack metal and stone is almost unable to seal his weak spots!¡±


    Moro let out an enraged roar to the sky. The apertures on his body were destroyed by the Trouble Dispelling Finger. His domineering and fearsome true Qi rushed directly at his dantian.


    The seven brilliant halos immediately dimmed.


    The fearsome and burly man stumbled forward a few steps before blood welled up in his throat due to the reversed Qi flow.


    ¡°Benefactor Moro, I have sealed your cultivation.¡±


    Master Yuanhui placed his hands together and said calmly, ¡°Assaulting the imperial city, killing with martial arts, and spooking the emperor¡­ they are all serious crimes!¡±


    ¡°Suffering is boundless. You need to redeem yourself. If you¡¯re still stubborn, then the consequences will be dire.¡±


    Master Yuanhui had a kind appearance once more, no longer showing the enraged expression he had earlier.


    He knew that Moro came from the Great Boundless Palace and was one of the Phags-pa¡¯s men.


    If he died mysteriously within the Zhou Kingdom, that would most likely trigger a great conflict.


    Kindness was at the core of a monk.


    He acted first in order to avoid troubling Marquis Zhao Kai or the eunuch beside the emperor.


    The martial arts of those two were like the scorching sun and the chilling winds of the abyss.


    If Moro remained stubborn, he might not have come out alive.


    ¡°The great monk has a kind heart.¡±


    Marquis Zhao Kai¡¯s gaze flickered as he stood up slowly.


    His broad shoulders seem to support the heavens, giving off an air of dominance as though he controlled everyone¡¯s fate.


    ¡°However, it is still up to His Majesty to decide what to do with this person.¡±


    The emperor looked down and saw Moro spat out two mouthfuls of blood. His face looked sickly and his aura was weak.


    With his sea of Qi within his dantian sealed away, he was unable to utilize his strength and would no longer have the ability to take lives.


    ¡°I thought Benefactor Moro¡¯s mental state was affected, therefore behaving as though he had deviated Qi flow, unable to identify friend from foe. That is why he would break into the imperial city in a rampage.¡±


    Master Yuanhui faced the emperor and lowered his head slightly as he said, ¡°He needs to be severely punished for his crimes! However, finding out the person pulling the strings is of higher priority!¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou nodded and replied with a low voice, ¡°The King of Yakshas is here but there¡¯s no sign of the Gandharva.


    ¡°Today is the day of her challenge to Master Yuanhui. Why isn¡¯t she here?!¡±


    The kind-looking Master Yuanhui turned around once more.


    He placed his fingers together and put them between his brows.


    ¡°Humbly I ask the World-Honored One to certify my vow to come back to the five turbid evil realms. As long as even one being has yet become a Buddha, I shall not enter Nirvana at death. Exalted hero with awesome strength, great kindness and compassion, search out and dispel even the subtlest doubts¡­¡±


    Master Yuanhui recited the lines from the Buddhist scriptures.


    With his supreme Zen spirit accumulated over the years, he activated the Trouble Dispelling Finger from the 72 ultimate techniques.


    After that, quick as lightning, he pointed it at Moro.


    Master Yuanhui wanted to find out what happened to Moro to make him lose himself and enter go into a rampage.


    However¡­


    The moment the Trouble Dispelling Finger touches Moro between the brows¡­


    Boom!


    Another unspeakably horrifying will rose out of the blue, catching them all off guard.


    The calm and collected Master Yuanhui¡¯s thin figure suddenly trembled violently like a raft in the stormy seas.


    ¡°I reign supreme over heaven and earth!¡±


    In his terrified gaze, several blurred figures appeared one after another.

 Chapter 36

    I reign supreme over heaven and earth!


    The first thing that Master Yuanhui ¡®saw¡¯ was the monumental phrase with the size of a mountain.


    Each brush strokes filled the heavens and earth, creating a terrifying phenomenon.


    After that, those gigantic calligraphy writings suddenly transformed into three blur figures.


    ¡°Fist is power!¡±


    The one standing at the leftmost was extremely tall with his fists balled up.


    His gaze was one of world domination, having the ambition to swallow the entire universe.


    For some time, even Master Yuanhui was stunned by the presence.


    When he refocused his attention, he saw it even clearer.


    That person had an unrivalled aura, as though he was a hero who ruled over the world.


    However, between his brows were a slight sense of boredom, a hint of sadness. It was both captivating and scary.


    He was courteous, yet fully displayed his abilities!


    The most eyecatching thing was definitely that person¡¯s fists.


    They were firm, heavy, mighty, and powerful!


    It was as though all the weapons in the world were nothing before him.


    His fists were sufficient for him to subdue the nine provinces, turning the world over.


    ¡°What a domineering hero! Such terrifying spiritual will. He must be far beyond the eighth Mortal Stage!¡±


    Before Master Yuanhui was done feeling surprised, another blurred figure stepped forward with a loud bang, standing on the right side.


    The other party wore black and was built like a mountain, steady and grand.


    His skin was fair. No matter how one looked, he seemed like a person sculpted from crystal.


    His eyes were of azure color like a deep lake. They were like whirlpools, sucking in one¡¯s soul as they gave off a strange evil nature.


    Even someone like Master Yuanhui who had a great Zen background almost fell into them when caught off guard.


    ¡°Realization of illusion and reality is empty! Composed and unfazed, consider with great care!¡±


    The man dressed in black had the demeanor of a deity, watching over all life without a shred of emotion.


    At the same time, he was also like a demon, tempting people out of nowhere.


    Each of his motions had the terrifying ability to twist a person¡¯s spirit and control one¡¯s soul.


    ¡°Amitabha! Amitabha! Amitabha¡­¡±


    Master Yuanhui recited the Buddhist chant repeatedly, using the calming power of the great Zen he practiced over the years to suppress the evil thoughts that appeared in his heart out of nowhere.


    It was too unnerving!


    He could not afford to even give it another look!


    Master Yuanhui forcefully shifted his gaze away to avoid the black-clothed man¡¯s gaze,


    Since the day he joined the religion and entered the Heavenly Dragon Temple, he had never come across such a dangerous demon in his 80 years of cultivation!


    ¡°Innate Grandmaster! It¡¯s at least the ninth Mortal Stage!¡±


    Master Yuanhui backed off a few steps with a layer of sweat appearing on his forehead.


    He felt like he was enduring great pressure. His straight back started to signs of bending over.


    ¡°I come from a lowly background. What¡¯s the use of the world for me?!¡±


    A gentle lamentation rang out all of a sudden.


    A tall man wearing the robe and crown of an emperor appeared suddenly, standing right between the hero and the demon.


    That tall man carried the Sun and Moon on his shoulders and moved the world!


    He appeared just like a true emperor, ruler of a dynasty!


    The three blurry spiritual manifestations appeared together and almost left Master Yuanhui breathless from their oppressive aura.


    If not for his above-average willpower and great understanding of Zen, Master Yuanhui would have fallen to his knees immediately.


    He barely managed to maintain his consciousness and immediately assumed the lotus position.


    He relied on his true Buddhist nature to fight off the massive waves of terrible aura rushing at him.


    ¡°Why would the King of Yaksha¡¯s sea of consciousness be imprinted with the martial will of three grandmasters!?¡±


    Master Yuanhui was baffled.


    Why would a ¡®small fry¡¯ of the Titan Stage require an Innate Grandmaster to take action personally?


    Moreover, it was three of them at once!


    Just as Master Yuanhui could no longer resist and assumed the lotus position, Marquis Zhao Kai and the old eunuch Chen Chaoen felt their spirit being stirred as well, causing them to take a step forward against their own will.


    One looked at the mentally unstable Moro who had his dantian sealed away.


    The other stood before the Emperor of Zhou with an alert look in his eyes.


    ¡°Such a strong martial will!¡±


    In the crowd, Marquis Zhao Kai had the highest cultivation level.


    He had a solemn look on his face as he carefully sensed the mental fluctuations coming from within Moro.


    ¡°I reign supreme over heaven and earth¡­ Such a strong presence! Of all the lives in the world, only I stand at the top! Is he trying to be the emperor, or perhaps even a god?!¡±


    Chen Chaoen looked as though he was faced with a great enemy as he said in a low voice, ¡°Marquis, there¡¯s something wrong with the Vajrayana monk!¡±


    Marquis Zhao Kai nodded lightly and walked down the platform.


    He walked past Master Yuanhui who sat on the ground trying to guard his mind.


    Marquis Zhao Kai was at the peak of the Spiritual Transformation Stage.


    He had long since passed the tribulation and completed his spiritual transformation to manifest his martial will.


    The impact he received was less intense compared to Master Yuanhui.


    ¡°Three grandmasters¡­ Impossible!¡±


    However, that did not prevent Zhao Kai from feeling the immense shock.


    There were only so few Innate Grandmasters in the world, with only ten of them on the ranking board.


    They were all from each of the great sects.


    Even if they included the other great experts out there and those from the big families, it would still be less than 20 of them.


    Nevertheless, that day, Zhao Kai ¡®witnessed¡¯ three grandmasters!


    One oppressed the world with his fist, ruling over the Divine Continent.


    One was a demon among demons, corrupting all souls.


    One carried the Sun and Moon, moving the world.


    Looking at the presence, spirit, and martial understanding, they were no ordinary grandmasters!


    ¡°Unfortunately, they have no physical bodies to support them. In the end, the martial will is like a rootless tree, sourceless water. It won¡¯t last long.¡±


    Zhao Kia suddenly felt pity. Moro was still too weak in the end and was unable to carry the martial wills of the three grandmasters. He could only manifest their illusory figures.


    By the time he could gain some insights and experience the secrets of the Innate Stage, those three figures would have dissipated.


    ¡°Your Majesty, our top priority is to lockdown the imperial city. We best initiate an all-out search of Tianjing City to look for the Gandharva!¡±


    Zhao Kai turned around and bowed performing the greeting with his hands together.


    How could a small fry like Moro attract the attention of three grandmasters?


    Marquis Zhao Kai thought it over and felt the issue must be on the Gandharva¡¯s challenge.


    The emperor waved to signal for Chen Chaoen to move aside. He said calmly, ¡°Send a decree to the Black Dragon Altar.¡±


    The old eunuch bent over and glided away like an old ghost.


    ¡°It seems this challenge is not going to happen.¡±


    The emperor sighed internally. His gaze subconsciously shifted over to the princes seated below him.


    Given the sudden and surprising turn of events, the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace seemed calm, showing no signs of worry.


    His Qi nurturing was decent, albeit showing signs of forced endurance.


    The emperor could empathize. Be it the fight between two Titan Stage experts, or the martial will of the three grandmasters. They were not something a regular person could endure.


    Without the protection of the great fortune, it was difficult to remain composed.


    The Eleventh Prince Zhao Yuan who sat in the second seat remained emotionless.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid this trip to the great snowy mountain and becoming the Great Boundless Palace¡¯s Buddhist Disciple of the Living Buddha will most likely fail.¡±


    The emperor shook his head. Moro had broken into the imperial city. By all accounts, he should be punished.


    As for the Gandharva who had yet to appear, her life and death were still unknown at that moment.


    Judging from the situation at hand, luck might not be on her side.

 Chapter 37

    With the Black Dragon Altar in action, its efficiency was astounding.


    Within 15 minutes, they found the Gandharva within the imperial city.


    Zhen Guardian Commander Zhu Jian hurried over into the imperial study with his head lowered.


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation like?¡±


    The Emperor of Zhou¡¯s stern voice came down from above.


    It was like a hanging sharp sword that could come down at any moment.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the Gandharva¡­is dead.¡± Zhu Jian¡¯s voice was strained.


    ¡°She¡¯s found dead in the side palace located East of Huayang Gate. Her head was blown apart, making her almost unidentifiable.¡±


    A deathly silence befell the imperial study for a long time.


    After an unknown amount of time passed, Zhu Jian could feel his back drenched in sweat and his entire body felt cold.


    Logically speaking, he was also an expert of the fifth Mortal Stage.


    He should have long been impervious to heat and cold.


    However, the emperor¡¯s presence and the Imperial Dragon Qi made him feel short of breath.


    In that deathly silence, the emperor finally asked, ¡°Are there any clues left behind?¡±


    Zhu Jian took out a preserved note from his pocket and handed it over with both hands as he replied, ¡°There are eight characters on it: I reign supreme over heaven and earth.


    ¡°Eunuch Chen and Marquis Zhao Kai had already looked over it. They said the note was imprinted with the martial will of at least three grandmasters.


    ¡°The Gandharva might have suffered from an immensely powerful mental attack that led to her head exploding, losing her life on the spot.¡±


    The emperor held tightly to a scroll of memorandum as his chest heaved heavily.


    There was a look in his eyes that resembled fear and anger.


    He slammed his palm on the desk and bellowed, ¡°Just a note with eight characters managed to kill an expert of the sixth Mortal Stage of the Qi Refinement Stage?!¡±


    As a minister of the Zhou Kingdom and being suppressed by the Imperial Dragon Qi, Zhu Jianfell to his knees as he replied with a trembling voice, ¡°Not just that. According to Marquis Zhao Kai, there were spirit traces of a fourth grandmaster at the scene. It is very likely to belong to the Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor, Phags-pa.


    ¡°Deducing from that, the Gandharv felt confident to challenge Master Yuanhui because of her extraordinary spiritual sense allowing her to be imprinted with an innate thought to protect her.


    ¡°However, because of the same spiritual thought, it activated the martial will on the note and caused her to¡­accelerate her death.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the Gandharva could not even react before her head was blown apart due to the entanglement of the four spiritual wills.¡±


    Upon discovering the deceased Gandharva within the side palace, the Black Dragon Altar and Chen Chaoen from the Ceremonial Directorate arrived together at the scene, followed by Marquis Zhao Kai.


    After some investigation and deliberations, Zhu Jian came to that conclusion.


    It was a pity for the seductively beautiful Gandharva to have suffered such a horrible death.


    The person who committed the act was truly ruthless and showed no mercy.


    The emperor calmed himself and tried to subdue the anxiety in his mind before asking, ¡°What about Moro?¡±


    Zhu Jian lowered his head and answered, ¡°This person is a little luckier. He merely glimpsed it and avoided direct exposure, saving his life.


    ¡°However, unless there¡¯s a grandmaster to help him remove the unseen imprint of those eight characters, he would be mentally broken and live the rest of his life as an idiot.¡±


    The emperor let out a long breath and did not wish to continue his questions.


    The more he knew, the worst he felt.


    Killing with words.


    That was too terrifying.


    It was almost like that of demons and gods.


    So what if he had the protection of the Imperial Dragon Qi. It might not help him defend against such a bizarre approach.


    ¡°Take your leave! The Black Dragon Altar¡¯s performance this time is very disappointing. You should reflect on your actions!¡±


    Zhu Jian prostrated himself to indicate his fear.


    After that, he slowly backed out of the imperial study.


    The Black Dragon Altar relied on the emperor¡¯s trust to gain the authority to supervise the ministers of the imperial court and to suppress the various sects.


    If they lost that backing, the consequences would be dire!


    ¡°Chaoen, do you think he¡¯s alone, or¡­¡±


    Once Zhu Jian took his leave, the emperor looked to the old eunuch standing beside him.


    ¡°I would rather wish it was a concerted effort by three grandmasters.¡±


    Chen Chaoen¡¯s voice was filled with a deep sense of fear and respect.


    ¡°If it was done by a single person, that would be too terrifying!


    ¡°It would mean that grandmaster has three divine arts that reached completion and manifested the martial will for each of them.


    ¡°The implication that carries is too horrifying.¡±


    Three divine arts. Even the Six Sacred Grounds did not have such a heritage!


    Furthermore, humans have a limit while martial arts have none.


    To cultivate three divine arts at the same time and still managed to manifest the spirit.


    Just what kind of amazing and unimaginable talent would that be?


    ¡°Be it one or three. Why would such a powerful figure do this to the Gandharva?¡±


    The emperor could not understand no matter how hard he thought about it.


    ¡°Perhaps the members of the Great Boundless Palace were too arrogant. They were making provocations claiming the people of Zhou Kingdom to be weaklings and also made issued the challenge to step on the Heavenly Dragon Temple.¡±


    Chen Chaoen¡¯s eyes looked around as he made his speculations, ¡°When a tree outgrows the rest of the forest, the wind destroys. It¡¯s not surprising for them to attract trouble due to how showy they were.¡±


    The things an Innate Grandmaster sought after differed from regular people.


    Worldly wealth and authority could hardly move them.


    Meanwhile, the mysterious-sounding and incomprehensible ¡®fated encounter¡¯ would often stir the grandmasters into action.


    The emperor thought about it long and hard, finally realizing that he could find no other explanation for the matter.


    ¡°What should we do on the Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor Phags-pa¡¯s front?¡± he asked once more.


    ¡°In my humble opinion, it would be better to just send Moro back to the Great Boundless Palace,¡± Chen Chaoen suggested after considering for some time.


    ¡°If Phags-pa sees the remnants of the spiritual imprint on his own subordinate, he will naturally understand what happened.


    ¡°No matter how strong he is, he could not possibly challenge three Innate Grandmasters at the same time.¡±


    The emperor said in a resigned tone, ¡°We can only hope so.¡±


    With such a huge commotion happening within the imperial city of Tianjing City, the Grand Commander Guardian made no appearance and did not even pass on any message.


    Thinking of that, the emperor could not help but feel suspicious and resentment.


    Back then, the Grand Commander swore to the Great Ancestor to protect the Zhou Kingdom.


    However, faced with the provocations of the Great Boundless Palace, the Grand Commander would only lock himself away like a coward.


    ¡°Heh, things change with time and so do people. That is nature.¡±


    The emperor grimaced as his original intention of punishing the Black Dragon Altar faded.


    Zhu Jian and company would always scheme to obtain more power and authority.


    However, they were at least loyal to him and functioned as an excellent sword.


    Meanwhile, the Grand Commander might not be concerned for himself or the Zhou Kingdom.


    ¡­


    Longevity Hall.


    Zhao Mu leaned against the chair as a big chubby cat slowly hopped in through the doorway and climbed onto the desk.


    As it moved, it caused its meaty body to wriggle appeared ridiculous.


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    Big Kitty crouched, then raised its front paws to perform a greeting gesture at Zhao Mu.


    Within those brown-colored pupils were a flash of intelligence.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your reward.¡±


    Zhao Mu placed a plate of dried fish before the cat.


    ¡°Meow meow!¡±


    Big Kitty seemed to understand human speech and made the greeting gesture once more as though thanking him.


    It then laid on the desk and picked up the dried fishes to enjoy.


    ¡°After refining the spirit, the power of the soul can be manifested, almost similar with the immortal techniques recorded in those fantasy novels.¡±


    Zhao Mu lamented.


    Several days ago, Big Kitty showed no signs of intelligence.


    However, at that moment, it could already understand human speech and could even learn etiquette.


    All that was because Zhao Mu refined his spiritual thoughts using the Tibetan Secret Scriptures and imprinted them carefully on Big Kitty¡¯s mind.


    That kickstarted its intelligence and made it more human-like.


    ¡°No wonder I could find stories of enlightened monks guiding plant demons and subduing strange beasts written in books.¡±


    Zhao Mu went into deep thought.


    Animals had a pure mind.


    However, it was difficult for them to gain intelligence and cultivate.


    Being unable to develop wisdom, it would be impossible for them to break free from their primitive ignorance.


    ¡°I wonder if Big Kitty will be affected by actions and cultivate into a martial arts expert.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s lips curled slightly upward with that thought.


    The Gandharva was dead and the martial will left on the note was sufficient to intimidate others. His brother Zhao Yuan should no longer be taken in as a legacy disciple of the Living Buddha.


    He was not surprised for things to turn out that way.


    Thirty-Six Heaven Defying Miracles, Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures, and Tibetan Secret Scriptures.


    The essence contained within the three divine arts was forcefully imprinted by him onto the paper with those writings.


    Even if the Gandharva had a shred of spiritual thought from Imperial Preceptor Phags-pa in her mind, it could do nothing against Sovereign Li Chenzhou, Martial Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, and the Demon Meng Chixing. The three exceptional figures were at least of the Innate Grandmaster Stage.


    ¡°What a pity. Big Kitty was the one that delivered the note. I didn¡¯t get to witness how strong the martial will of the Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor was.¡±


    Zhao Mu petted the groaning cat.


    The cat was eating a lot better recently and had started to develop a smoother fur, making it quite comfortable to touch.


    ¡°Meow meow!¡±


    Big Kitty seemed to be enjoying it as it meowed twice and rolled over.


    Its paws faced upward and belly exposed, the cat showed an expression of bliss.

 Chapter 38

    The Gandharva was dead.


    The King of Yakshas had gone insane.


    Both were great heroes of the Great Boundless Palace¡¯s Eight Divisions who were placed on the Moon Martial Ranking List.


    They had high hopes of entering the eighth Mortal Stage to ascend into the Sun Martial Ranking List.


    Yet they met their demise within the imperial city of the Zhou Kingdom. It was truly an unbelievable incident.


    That was why when news got out, the initial reaction from most people was of shock, followed by various questions.


    What exactly happened to them?


    Did the Gandharva die under the hands of Master Yuanhui of the Heavenly Dragon Temple?


    Did he then displayed his greatness and beat Moro to a state of idiocy?


    Naturally, the Heavenly Dragon Temple had begun dismissing the rumors soon after.


    They claimed that Master Yuanhui did not take any actions at all and all that had nothing to do with him.


    As for the exact details of the incident, they were not in the position to share them.


    With that, countless wild speculations circulated.


    For example, one claiming that the old eunuch by the emperor¡¯s side was actually an Innate Grandmaster.


    With unfathomable cultivation, he killed both the Gandharva and Moro with a flick of his fingers.


    Some even claimed that Marquis Zhao Kai had long broken through to the Spiritual Transformation Stage but was keeping a low profile. They claimed that his actions this time were to make the Yuanmeng Empire¡¯s Imperial Preceptor, Phags-pa, show himself.


    Some even claimed that the Gandharva was still alive, but had caught the fancy of the emperor and was taken in as a concubine.


    There were many more rumors of that nature.


    That was how the world of martial arts worked.


    The truth was not important.


    Everyone only wanted an interesting topic to talk about.


    ¡°How did the Gandharva die?¡±


    Zhao Mu feigned ignorance and asked within the cold palace¡¯s library.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The Black Dragon Altar kept a lid on the incident. Eunuch Chen from the Ceremonial Directorate had also placed a strict ban on palace servants to ever bring up about the matter.¡±


    Zhao Yuan seemed to have regained his lively demeanor after finally being relieved of the great stress in his heart.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come over lately? Did Imperial Tutor Wen assign you homework again?¡±


    Seeing his brother happy again caused Zhao Mu¡¯s lips to curl upward. ¡®Perhaps the Gandharva didn¡¯t die in vain.¡¯


    It was not a waste for him to use up all the 230 thoughts he polished with great effort to imprint those eight characters containing the essence of the three divine arts.


    The martial will of three Innate Grandmasters successfully shocked everyone.


    With the matter finally passed, he would be able to focus on his cultivation and go back to his old easygoing lifestyle.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not the case. Lately¡­Father met the Yuanmeng ambassador envoy. All the princes were present and things got a little busy so I didn¡¯t come to disturb you.¡±


    Zhao Yuan was usually quick-witted. However, when faced with Zhao Mu, he lost his composure and started stuttering.


    He did not plan to tell his brother that he almost got taken away by the Gandharva to the great snowy mountain beyond the great wall to be a legacy disciple of the Living Buddha.


    Mentioning it would only bring more troubles.


    His brother stayed within the cold palace. He had no authority and would often be looked down on by others within the imperial palace.


    Even if he knew, what could he change?


    Meow!


    Right when Zhao Yuan was thinking hard to make up another lie, a big cat rushed quickly into his arms.


    ¡°Eh, since when did you have a cat?¡±


    Zhao Yuan was rather surprised.


    He was at the second Mortal Stage and had excellent reflexes, yet he did not manage to evade Big Kitty¡¯s sudden charge.


    ¡°I picked it up by the library,¡± Zhao Mu chuckled as he replied.


    ¡°This little guy would often steal food. Since I didn¡¯t lack food the last time I caught it, I decided to keep feeding it.¡±


    Zhao Yuan was still a child at heart. As he caressed the smooth fur, a smile appeared on his face.


    That big cat¡¯s eyes seemed to be filled with intelligence.


    It kept blinking in an adoring way.


    ¡°Did the Yuanmeng ambassador envoy leave?¡±


    Zhao Mu shot a glance at Big Kitty that was licking its paws. He similarly had a smile on his lips.


    ¡°Yes. They were escorted out of Tianjing City by the Black Dragon Altar¡¯s chariots. Father was magnanimous and did not pursue the matter of Moro breaking into the imperial city and released him back with them.¡±


    Zhao Yuan rubbed Big Kitty¡¯s wave-like chubby body. The latter had a blissful look on its face and would not stop groaning.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Zhao Mu let out a sigh.


    It was only half a month more to the emperor¡¯s birthday.


    He needed to place all his energy on cultivation and imprinting his Dao marks.


    He did not wish to be disturbed by other people or incidents.


    ¡­


    Deep in the night¡­


    Shadow Guardian Commander Zhou Wen stepped out of the Black Dragon Altar¡¯s courtroom, getting on a black carriage alone.


    ¡°To Peace Alley.¡±


    He took a seat in the spacious carriage.


    A priceless white bear pelt was placed inside along with a lighted incense burner.


    Given normal circumstances, there should also be a beautiful lady there waiting for Zhou Wen¡¯s affection.


    It was known to all within the imperial court that the Shadow Guardian Commander was a lecherous man with a varied taste.


    He once brought three prostitutes from the Red Sleeve Inn for a ride of their life within that exceptionally spacious carriage.


    During that time, the carriage would not stop and toured more than half of the 108 streets within Tianjing City.


    On the outside, people were selling their wares on the crowded street.


    On the inside, was three on one fight of romance and sweet words.


    Ever since news of that spread, all the playboys within Tianjing City gave him a thumbs up and commend the commander¡¯s know-how in enjoying himself. They even came up with a new term of ¡®carriage-shaking¡¯.


    Since then, a lot of prostitute centers offered services for carriage rides around the city to satisfy their curious customers.


    ¡°Go!¡±


    The driver swung his whip and made a cracking sound.


    Peace Alley had the largest gold sink within Tianjing City, the Red Sleeve Inn.


    Zhou Wen would often stay there overnight when he was free.


    Previously, some upright ministers and scholars would list his many sins to complain about him.


    However, it amounted to nothing.


    Instead, those people were captured by the Black Dragon Altar soon after and thrown into jail, all of them meeting a horrible fate.


    From then on, the ministers of the imperial court understood that the Black Dragon Altar was not to be offended!


    Unless His Majesty willed it, none would be able to go against the four commanders!


    ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve arrived at Peace Alley.¡±


    The driver had also become one of Zhou Wen¡¯s trusted servants. He asked bluntly, ¡°Would you like to order dinner for a table at the Moon Abode first, or head directly to the Red Sleeve Inn?¡±


    Zhou Wen rubbed his pulsating temples and said softly, ¡°Red Sleeve Inn.¡±


    Within 15 minutes, the carriage came to a stop and the sounds of crowds could be heard.


    Even if one had never seen it, just the aroma of cosmetics and perfume filling one¡¯s nostrils would be sufficient to make one lose their mind.


    ¡°San¡¯er, you don¡¯t have to wait here. You can come to pick me up tomorrow morning.¡±


    Zhou Wen got out of the carriage smugly.


    The moment the pedestrians saw the black koi uniform, they quickly moved out of the way as though they had just seen the God of Death himself.


    However, the pimp welcoming at the gate had a charming smile on his face as he approached.


    ¡°Commander, Miss Yuanyu had been missing you for the past few days and wondered why you didn¡¯t come to visit her.¡±


    Zhou Wen seemed unwilling to talk and ignored him, taking big strides into the main hall of Red Sleeve Inn.


    The hall was lively and filled with beautiful artists and prostitutes of varying tastes.


    Some were performing, some were entertaining with drinks. It was a lively scene.


    ¡°Mr. Zhou is here! Miss Yuan and Miss Bai have been waiting for you. Would you like to listen to some music in the private chamber on the second floor first? The two ladies will come to serve you once they are done with their makeup.¡±


    The pimp in his thirties had a passionate look in his eyes.


    The main reason Red Sleeve Inn could operate in Peace Alley without the disturbance of the local sects was due to this particular commander of the Black Dragon Altar¡¯s frequent visits.


    That was why nobody dared to stir up trouble.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired today. Skip the music.¡±


    Zhou Wen waved away, showing a cold expression on his gentle face.


    ¡°You have a new lady here named Yun Qing right? Bring him over to the Heavenly Aroma Pavilion.¡±


    Upon hearing that, the pimp had a bitter expression.


    Yun Qing was the most popular person in the Red Sleeve Inn and had not slept with anyone.


    The young master of the Left Chief Minister¡¯s household and Marquis Fang¡¯s eldest son were both interested and fawning over her.


    To win her smile, they had spent a fortune trying to compete with each other


    ¡°Sure. Please wait for a moment,¡± the old pimp replied quickly.


    Compared to the young master of the Left Chief Minister¡¯s household and Marquis Fang¡¯s eldest son, the Black Dragon Altar seemed to have greater power.


    Offending the Shadow Guardian Commander might lead to him being branded as a traitor one day and thrown into jail, only to be sentenced to death.


    It was fine to lose a money tree.


    As long as he was alive, he could continue to make more money.


    Very soon, a plain and noble-looking stunning beauty wearing a white ruqun entered the elegant Heavenly Aroma Pavilion.


    The old pimp sensibly closed the doors. His face had a sincere pained expression.


    Once the virgin courtesan had slept with someone, her value would drop and no longer be in high demand.


    The nobles and scholars came for those who only sold their art but not their bodies.


    If executed properly, Yun Qing¡¯s virginity would be worth hundreds of gold.


    What a pity¡­


    It could not be helped when the Black Dragon Altar had power and was difficult to reason with.


    Even the Left Chief Minister and Marquis Fang might not wish to sow enmity with a guardian commander over a virgin courtesan.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is the Gandharva really dead?¡±


    However, the exciting and passionate scenes of life did not happen in the room.


    When the virgin courtesan of the Red Sleeve Inn asked coldly as she sat right across Zhou Wen.


    ¡°Dead. Her head was blown apart and her brains splattered everywhere.¡±


    The Shadow Guardian Commander famed for his lecherous nature remained expressionless without looking up.


    ¡°Who did it?¡± Yun Qing asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Zhou Wen answered.


    ¡°Is it the Black Dragon Altar¡¯s lack of proper investigation, or you really don¡¯t know?¡±


    Yun Qing twirled with strands of her hair as her eyes showed a curious glint.


    ¡°It¡¯s possibly done by an Innate Grandmaster. His Majesty banned us from bringing up this matter. I believe he¡¯s hiding something,¡± Zhou Wen replied honestly.


    ¡°Could it be the work of the Grand Commander Guardian?¡±


    Yun Qing seemed to know more.


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be. There no need.¡±


    Zhou Wen shook his head.


    ¡°His Majesty wanted to lose the challenge and have the Eleventh Prince be a legacy disciple of the Living Buddha.


    ¡°If nobody killed the Gandharva, the Black Dragon Altar would¡¯ve pulled some strings to let Master Yuanhui lose.¡±


    Yun Qing smirked, then said softly, ¡°The emperor sure is ruthless to sacrifice his son¡­ Then again, he¡¯s already lost a few sons. As long as the Crown Prince is alive, the others don¡¯t really matter.¡±


    Zhou Wen¡¯s brows twitched, then asked with a lowered voice, ¡°Since the Left Messenger has entered the capital, when will the sect master arrive?¡±


    Yun Qing withdrew her smile as her gaze took on a cold intent, answering, ¡°I¡¯m not sure of the whereabouts of the sect master. If all goes well, it should be within five days.


    ¡°You previously mentioned that the Grand Commander Guardian has come out of closed-door cultivation. When did you get wind of that?¡±


    Zhou Wen placed his palm on the table. He did not answer, but returned with another question, ¡°The sect master¡¯s coming to Tianjing City this time is for the Taiji Yin Yang Coffin, isn¡¯t it?¡±

 Chapter 39

    ¡°This is not something you should ask!¡±


    Yun Qing¡¯s expression turns menacing as her eyes exuded a hint of ruthlessness.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been managing the logistics and serving the cult for many years! Yet you¡¯re trying to hide from me when the cult master is entering the capital to execute his grand plans?¡±


    Zhou Wen suppressed his voice. The fury in his heart burned as he stared intently at the beauty seated across him.


    ¡°Left Messenger, you¡¯re placed quite a few spies in the fish market of Huaian Street. There are also the two pawn shops on Tongde Street¡­ Do you really think the Black Dragon Altar wouldn¡¯t find out?¡±


    ¡°If not for me constantly covering up and hide their tracks by substituting them with others, those messengers, spies, and outposts would¡¯ve long been wiped out!¡±


    The elegant atmosphere immediately transformed into one filled with killing intent.


    The place for indulgence had suddenly turned gloomy and still like the jail of the Black Dragon Altar.


    ¡°Heh. Mr. Zhou. Commander Zhou!¡±


    Yun Qing seemed to not take notice. She chuckled, then rolled her eyes and asked softly, ¡°Did your stay in the Black Dragon Altar make you forget your true identity after putting on that black koi uniform for such a long time?¡±


    One was the Shadow Guardian Commander. The other was the famous virgin courtesan of Tianjing City.


    At that moment, their status seemed to have reversed.


    Yun Qing blinked. Her watery and passionate gaze suddenly turned vicious as they were aimed at Zhou Wen.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I shouldn¡¯t have too many questions.¡±


    In just a moment, the Shadow Guardian Commander slowly lowered his head and turned subservient.


    Yun Qing, however, merely scoffed and continued, ¡°Mr. Zhou, you need to remember well.


    ¡°You¡¯re able to become an expert of the fifth Mortal Stage of Foundation Establishment at the age of thirty-four and seated firmly at the position of a commander in the Black Dragon Altar with your mundane root bone. Who do you think you¡¯re relying on?


    ¡°You have neither the true heritage of the Ten Great Sects, nor the legacy of the four great families. In terms of background, you¡¯re not even worthy of being a local lord.


    ¡°You¡¯re merely the son of a butcher from a small district town in the Luo Province. Without the support of the cult to supply you with various elixirs, cultivation techniques, and even help you eliminate the rebels of Panyun Camp, the twelve bandit groups of Bewitching Bay¡­do you think you would be where you are today?¡±


    Each of the things listed struck straight to his heart.


    Zhou Wen¡¯s face twitched, but remained silent, as though agreeing in silence.


    ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll not hide this from you.¡±


    After Yun Qing was done dissing him, her eyes seem to carry a hint of smugness.


    ¡°This time, not only the cult master will be here. The sect masters of Blood Soul Sect, Deathless Hall, Nether Sect, Hidden Bone Mountain, and Nascent Spirit Palace will all be here in Tianjing City for a grand meeting!¡±


    Zhou Wen¡¯s head snapped up in surprise.


    Being in too much of a shock, he lost control over the true Qi within his body and accidentally crumbled the teacup in his hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s is happening for the Sacred Sects to gather?¡±


    The Shadow Guardian Commander asked subconsciously.


    He was utterly confused.


    Some time ago, the Demonic Sect split apart and formed six individual sects.


    They never worked together or talked to each other.


    Not impressed with their counterparts, there would often be conflicts between them.


    Right then, they somehow planned to gather in Tianjing City!


    ¡°This is something you don¡¯t need to know,¡± Yun Qing replied calmly.


    ¡°You just need to serve the cult with utmost loyalty. We won¡¯t be mistreating you.¡±


    Zhou Wen lowered his stance and nodded in silence.


    He knew that there would be no chance for him to turn back after joining this band of thieves.


    Back when he was just a guard of the Black Dragon Altar, he tried to find ways to infiltrate the salt smugglers of Qing Province in hopes of solving a huge case and rise in the ranks.


    Unexpectedly, he ran into an elder of the Scarlet Heart Cult.


    He initially thought he would lose his life in glorious service, but he had somehow turned into a spy placed by the demonic sect within the Black Dragon Altar.


    Finally, he climbed up the ranks and managed to take the seat of a commander.


    The miraculous fortune felt like a dream.


    ¡°The reason I seek your audience today is to find out about the situation with the Grand Commander Guardian.¡±


    Qing Yun did not push him too and mellowed her demeanor, moving back to their official business.


    ¡°The Grand Commander only made one appearance in the communication token. He managed to oppress Eagle Guardian Ji Liang and Wolf Guardian Jiang Gong to the point of submission with merely a shred of his martial will,¡± Zhou Wen said in a low voice.


    ¡°However, he did not seek an audience with the emperor in the imperial city, nor did he move back into Black Dragon Altar. Even with the recent visit of the Yuanmeng ambassador envoy causing such a scene went unnoticed.


    ¡°From what I can see, the Grand Commander must have used some sort of secret technique to live on. His cultivation must be waning. Upon further speculations, he might even have lost his mobility.¡±


    Yun Qing frowned slightly and asked, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Zhou Wen shook his head and replied carefully, ¡°From the various signs, I¡¯m about fifty to sixty percent sure.¡±


    He knew full well why the Scarlet Heart Cult of the demonic sects would be so wary of the Grand Guardian Commander.


    It was because generations of cult masters had always cultivated the Frozen Soul God Slaying Technique that was on the extreme Yin and cold spectrum.


    Upon completion, one would be able to cultivate the extremely devious Evil Yin true Qi.


    However, to proceed further in this martial art, one would have to comprehend the mysteries of Yang born from extreme Yin and nurturing Yin with Yang.


    The Taiji Pure Yang coffin treasured by the Zhou Kingdom¡¯s imperial family would perfectly solve the issue faced with the Frozen Soul God Slaying Technique.


    ¡°This is the Yang Detection Needle. The cult master specifically looked for skilled craftsmen to refine this item.¡±


    Yun Qing took out a thin and long metal needle that was seemingly made of pure gold. She said in a soft voice, ¡°This item has only one function, and it¡¯s to attract pure Yang Qi.¡±


    Zhou Wen¡¯s eyes flashed as he received the Yang Detection Needle. He then asked, ¡°The cult master is trying to locate the Grand Commander¡¯s cultivation location, and then¡­obtain the Taiji Pure Yang Coffin?¡±


    Yun Qing nodded lightly with a smile.


    ¡°Left Messenger, no matter what situation the Grand Commander is in now, he¡¯s still an Innate Grandmaster after all. A starving camel is still bigger than a horse¡­¡± Zhou Wen advised.


    The Scarlet Heart Cult Master had been stuck at the eighth Mortal Stage of Spiritual Transformation for 10 long years.


    If he were to face the Grand Commander Guardian without breaking through, it might not end well.


    ¡°That¡¯s not something for you to worry about.¡±


    Yun Qing made a mysterious smile and said calmly, ¡°The cult master naturally has his reasons to give such instructions. You only need to follow them.¡±


    ¡°You should move around more often, especially places like the Black Dragon Altar and the various courtrooms where regular people are barred from entering.


    ¡°As for the other places, the cult master has other plans.¡±


    Zhou Wen kept the Yang Detection Needle carefully and had nothing else to say.


    The Scarlet Heart Cult¡¯s information network was the best in the world.


    The members of the cult were experts in illusion, disguises, and stealth missions.


    All the sects out there may contain their spies.


    If they could push him up to the position of the Black Dragon Altar¡¯s commander, then they could naturally extend their reach to the other places.


    For example, the imperial city.


    Zhou Wen¡¯s heart trembled with that thought and grew slightly more fearful of the Scarlet Heart Cult.


    ¡­


    ¡°This Taiji Pure Yang Coffin is truly an awesome treasure.¡±


    Zhao Mu caressed the exquisite coffin carved from white jade. The extremely pure Primordial Yang Qi within his body surged.


    In recent days, he would spend every day meditating within the Taiji Pure Yang Coffin.


    It helped him strengthen his life force while he condensed the blood essence in his body.


    His cultivation speed was rapid, making good progress.


    ¡°They say that the fifth Mortal Stage of Foundation Establishment is divided into three grades.


    ¡°It is mainly shown at the point of condensing blood essence. Fifteen for low-grade, thirty for mid-grade, and sixty for high-grade. Even the legendary perfect grade was only at ninety-nine.¡±


    Zhao Mu had a weird expression.


    He felt that his cultivation path seemed to have some slight difference from the martial artists of this world.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already condensed three hundred and sixty-five drops of blood essence. However, it doesn¡¯t seem to be reaching the limit yet.¡±


    Under his own observation, there were 365 droplets of jade-like blood essence floating about within his dantian filled with fire and water and surrounded by mystical lights.


    They were like stars aligned at various locations.


    ¡°Could it be that I took a wrong turn on my martial path?¡±


    Zhao Mu activated the mysterious stone dial within his sea of consciousness and observed the martial arts and true Qi of his body.


    Lines of text manifested¡ª


    [Zhao Mu]


    [Eight hundred years of true Qi]


    [Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist, Presence Concealing Mantra, Divine Sun and Moom Scriptures, Frozen Heart Mantra, Sacred Heavenly Scripture, Thirty-Six Heaven Defying Miracles, Secret Tibetan Scriptures]


    ¡°All those martial arts stored within my mind. I shouldn¡¯t be taking the wrong path.¡±


    Zhao Mu felt reassured.


    Maybe the effects of the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir were a little too terrifying and led to the number of blood essence he condensed to be far beyond normal.

 Chapter 40

    ¡°Several months passed by in a flash.¡±


    Within the underground stone chamber, Zhao Mu refined the essence of all the martial arts he has learned.


    He merged them together and studied them in detail.


    If he were to study and comprehend them on his own, he would at most fully comprehend one to two arts even after spending his entire life learning them.


    However, with the help of the mysterious stone dial, Zhao Mu could rapidly understand the essence while imprinting the martial arts.


    That was akin to him having practiced it over hundreds of thousands of times.


    It allowed him to have the rare chance to learn from the strengths of various arts.


    ¡°Several months passed, and I¡¯m only at the fifth Mortal Stage of Foundation Establishment. My progress is quite slow.¡±


    Zhao Mu reflected on his progress with a solemn expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of those people from the Great Boundless Palace wasting my time for no reason.¡±


    He was actually complaining about being slow after breaking through five stages in several months!


    If others heard those words, they would most likely suffer internal injuries from the aggravation.


    Even when using the Ten Great Sects and Six Sacred Grounds as a standard of measure, among the carefully handpicked genius core disciples with exceptional talent, they were not monsters that would use months to keep track of their cultivation breakthrough.


    ¡°Both the Primordial Yang and Mysterious Yin true Qis are only at the eight hundred year level. I need to work harder.¡±


    After some self-reflection, Zhao Mu decided to draw up a plan.


    ¡°I need make smaller progressive goals of reaching one thousand, two thousand, and three thousand years.


    ¡°Although my understanding of martial arts may be on par with the grandmasters, I¡¯ve experienced few battles and lack combat experience. It would be best if I can overpower others with brute force.¡±


    Eight hundred years of true Qi may sound like a massive accumulation, but Zhao Mu still felt that it was insufficient.


    Perhaps it was due to his transmigration.


    As someone who came from Huaxia, he had a phobia of the lack of firepower.


    A thousand years¡¯ worth of true Qi was only a small goal.


    Only ten thousand years¡¯ worth of true Qi would make him feel secure.


    ¡°Taking out the daily practice, meditation, and condensation of blood essence, I still need to spare another two hours to use true flames to refine the body and raise my physique to the next level.¡±


    Zhao Mu leaned into the chair and started listing the individual items of the things that needed to be done, committing them to memory.


    He had the passive ability of Perfect Memory and had refined the Nine Aperture Golden Elixir.


    It was like his innate intelligence had been activated. Everything that he heard, seen, and thought of in the past would be clearly reflected within his sea of consciousness.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let my spirit refinement and visualization fall behind too. I can use the Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures, Tibetan Secret Scriptures, and Thirty-Six Heaven Defying Miracles¡¯ martial spirit to polish my own will,¡± Zhao Mu added.


    His achievements at that time were mostly dependent on his efforts.


    Even if had a cheating system with him, he did not slack off in the slightest.


    ¡°The things I acquired recently¡­¡±


    Zhao Mu activated the mysterious stone dial and focused on the words displayed.


    He ignored the lines on true Qi and martial arts.


    It was like a long detailed list that slowly projected itself.


    [Tiger Bone Essence Balm]


    [Concealing Talisman]


    [Qi-nurturing Powder]


    [Grain Avoidance Elixir]


    [Gold]


    [Silver]


    [Jade]


    [Luminescent Pearl]


    [Heavenly Cardamom]


    [Meridian Cleansing Scrolls]


    [Tiger Wolf Elixir]


    [Thorn Armor]


    [Tiangang Virgin Technique]


    [¡­]


    ¡°It¡¯s quite a good haul.¡±


    In the whole world, apart from the main base of the Six Sacred Grounds and some other dangerous forbidden zones, there should be no better place than the imperial city with Tianjing City for him to imprint his Dao marks.


    ¡°Where should I go to imprint my Dao mark today? Let¡¯s see¡­where have I not visited?¡±


    Zhao Mu casually picked up a map of the imperial city¡¯s inner court¡¯s layout.


    A secret like that would normally be kept within the inner court¡¯s records room.


    Moreover, information on things like secret passages, trapdoors for hidden chambers would be greatly limited to prevent outsiders from discovering them.


    However, the Grand Commander Guardian was the guardian grandmaster of the Zhou Kingdom.


    The records he held would naturally be detailed.


    It was by relying on this item and the Presence Concealing Mantra that allowed Zhao Mu to move about as he pleased within the imperial city inner court.


    The only place he dared not approach was the Hanging Arch Palace, Clement Hall, and imperial library where the emperor frequented.


    That was because he feared Chen Chaoen from the Ceremonial Directorate. That person¡¯s cultivation stage was a mystery, and rumor had it that his strength was on par with Marquis Zhao Kai.


    ¡°Should I check out the Longevity Hill within the Queen¡¯s Court on the northern end of the imperial city?¡±


    Zhao Mu moved his finger and finally stopped at one point.


    After the Great Ancestor named Tianjing City as the capital and moved into the imperial city, he once ordered the excavation of the Black Tortoise Lake and had men move the dirt to the inner court. The dirt was used to expand and elevate the land. Pine trees were planted and pavilions were built, forcefully building a hill over there.


    Legend has it that it was to suppress the Dragon Qi of the previous dynasty.


    ¡°Maybe I can imprint something nice over there.¡±


    Zhao Mu did not bother changing. He merely put on a set of black clothes that did not make him stand out.


    He had already reached the realm of still mind for the Presence Concealment Mantra.


    Not only his breathing and Qi was undetectable, but even his figure and aura would completely vanish, appearing as though he was part of the environment.


    When the sky turned dark, Zhao Mu moved out of the Eternal Happiness Palace with his hands behind him without touching the ground as though he was a supernatural being.


    The bright moonlight illuminated the area. When it hit his body, it seemed to pass right through him as though nothing was there.


    Even experts of the Spiritual Transformation Stage would have difficulty noticing him in a short time, much less the regular royal guards patrolling around the area.


    Wooo!


    The strong wind howled.


    Zhao Mu flashed about as though he was riding on clouds.


    With the vast amount of true Qi supporting him, his movement was extremely quick.


    The regular movement techniques he executed were as effective as immortal magical arts.


    He arrived at Longevity Hill in several minutes.


    There was a perimeter wall several dozen feet tall. Within it was a lush forest with herds of deers and cranes.


    It was like a different world.


    Zhao Mu stopped in his tracks and looked into the distance.


    The Longevity Hill was not that high. It was merely a mound of dirt that took the shape of the ¡®mountain¡¯ character.


    In the middle were two extremely thick and sturdy ancient pine trees. Legend has it that it was planted by the Great Ancestor himself. By then, it was already as big as a pavilion.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m not good with aura divination skills, my spiritual sense is telling me that fortune of the Longevity Hill is all gathered in the middle peak.¡±


    Zhao Mu thought about it for a moment. His robe then fluttered like in the wind as he took off.


    ¡°Eh, where is there a scent of blood?!¡±


    He stepped atop a tree and stopped suddenly.


    He was midway up the hill, only a few hundred steps from the peak.


    Zhao Mu reached out with his hand and grabbed as though he was grabbing at the air current.


    He then moved it to his nose and took a whiff.


    ¡°It¡¯s really the scent of blood. Is someone hunting this late in the night?¡±


    Longevity Hill¡¯s vicinity was a forbidden zone that was walled off.


    Many wild deers, cranes, and other animals were kept there.


    When the emperor was bored during Spring and Fall season, he would bring the princes over to have a hunting trip.


    Of course, Zhao Mu had never taken part in any of them.


    He learned of them from his brother Zhao Yuan.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of my business. I¡¯ll just take a different path up the hill.¡±


    Zhao Mu¡¯s gaze moved slightly. He had no interest to investigate further.


    It would be bad if he stumbled across something troublesome and disrupted his cultivation plans.


    He took a few steps back and prepared to leave.


    ¡°Zhao Zhao! You broke your promise! You¡¯re shameless b*stard!¡±


    An angry roar drifted into Zhao Mu¡¯s ears suddenly.


    His legs came to a stop but his lips slowly curled up into a grin.


    There was a glow that appeared in his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s my brother, the Crown Prince.¡±


    The edge of his black robes fluttered.


    His body was like an arrow leaving the bowstring, shooting straight in the direction of the sound¡¯s origin.